INJURY RECAP 2002-2003
Injury news recap 2002/3:
www.chairboys.co.uk takes a look back on another injury plauged season for the Wanderers.

Craig Faulconbridge's knee injury now appears to be more serious then originally thought and it's unlikely he'll be back for the start of the 2003/3 campaign. Faulconbridge reported for training on Monday 17th March 2003 complaining of a swollen knee that was later revealed as being picked up on the training ground. Club Sports Therapist Dave Jones arranged for an exploratory operation that was carried out on Friday 21st March and it was a further eight weeks before he came off crutches. He saw another specialist towards the end of May and if all is OK will then go on a rehab programme at Lilleshall with a return to training predicted for around September 2003.

There's was another injury set-back for Jermaine McSporran after his knee swelled up following the home game with Stockport County on the 5th April. The knee was slow to heal and 'Jocky' missed the remainder of the 2002/3 season.
The injury came after McSporran was about to be substituted after 54 minutes of the match with Stockport but a head injury to Chris Vinnicombe gave him a reprieve until the 77th minute. According to Club Sports Therapist, Dave Jones, Jocky will see a knee specialist and then most likely have an exploratory operation.

Mark Rogers missed the final few weeks of the 2002/3 season after he was forced off in the game at Tranmere on Saturday 12th April 2003 with a damaged hamstring. Reports indicated that a scan showed no significant damage and the fact he was an unused substitute in the final game of the season at Plymouth suggests the injury has healed.

Gavin Holligan also had a set-back after a slight hamstring injury during the Reserve game at Bristol Rovers on Wednesday 16th April 2003. Thankfully reports suggested the injury was not serious and he should return for pre-season training.
The ex-West Ham striker missed much of the 2002/3 season since suffering cartilage damage in pre-season training. He originally returned to training on Monday 30th September 2002 before breaking down. A further look by the surgeon revealed no further damage but he had to be patient while the joint healed. He was given the all clear to appear in the Reserve game on Wednesday 5th February 2003 and subsequently appeared as substitute for the First Team and scored the winning goal at Peterborough on 18th March 2003. He has since been awarded an extension to his contract that ties him to the Club until May 2004.

Chris Vinnicombe at last returned to First Team action following a lengthy lay-off through injury. He'd been missing since the home game with Tranmere on 23rd November 2002. Vinni suffered a groin strain in training the previous Thursday but despite initial reports suggesting a return in January, there were complications with the injury that were related to tendon problems affecting his back.

Stuart Roberts returned to First Team action when he came on as substitute against Cardiff City on Tuesday 8th April. The Welshman suffered a bad twist to the ankle in the 31st minute of the home game with Wigan on Saturday 24th February and although the injury was not as bad as first thought it still meant over a month in the treatment room.

Richard Harris came straight back into First Team contention when he was named on the bench for the game at Tranmere on Saturday 12th April. The striker has been out for ten weeks after scoring twice against Notts County on Saturday 1st February and then limping off with a hamstring problem.

Martin Taylor returned from injury in the Reserves 3-0 defeat at Cambridge on Wednesday 5th March. Taylor had been out of action since a calf injury in the game at Cheltenham on 21st December and with deputy 'keeper Frank Talia given a permanent deal until July 2005, it put the ex-Derby man's future at Wycombe in doubt. 36 year old Taylor was contracted until May 2004 but he said he was still aiming to make a comeback after an injury plauged season and rubbished rumours of his retirement from the game. He since joined Barnsley on loan until the end of the season but he returned early due to a back problem and then announced his shock decision to leave Wycombe in May 2003 after negoitiating a pay-off for his contract.

Jonny Dixon injured his cruciate in the game at Northampton on Saturday 4th January with an expected lay-off time of four to six weeks. Dixon was forced off after 33 minutes of the game at Sixfields having originally taken a knock to his knee in the 22nd minute. Initial reports indicated the injury was not too bad but he subsequently went for a scan and after a specialist's report on Wednesday 8th January it was thankfully shown that surgery was not neccesary. began full training on Monday 17th February and got a run out for the Reserves on Wednesday 26th February when Brentford visited Buckingham Road. Dixon, now 19, signed a professional contract with the club earlier in the month that runs until May 2005. He played just over an hour of the Reserve match but found himself straight back in the starting line-up for the visit to Blackpool on Saturday 1st March.

In November 2002 Darren Currie decided to delay an operation to his shoulder injury. It was originally reported that he could be out for up to eight weeks following an injury to his left shoulder during training on Monday 25th November 2002. Initial x-rays showed up ligament damage but this is not as bad as originally thought and he has since returned to training. The dilemma for Currie was that the shoulder is slightly out of place and requires an operation to correct. Any operation would keep the player out for around six months but Currie was keen to get back training and playing football again. The ex-Barnet man is hoping the injury will heal sufficiently to allow him to delay any op until his playing career is over.


It was back in April 2002 that there was catastrophic news when it was revealed that Jermaine McSporran had injured his right knee during a training session at Adams Park. He suffered a similar injury to his left knee in December 2000 during a League game at Wigan and it wasn't until August 2001 that he made his return.
Tests subsequently revealed that 'Jocky' tore cruciate ligaments as well as sustaining cartilage damage. He went for an operation on 30th May and told the BFP in June "The operation went well. I'm walking again without crutches and slowing getting back into the routine" However, he said he's not going to rush things, adding "I'll come back when I'm fit and ready". It was later revealed that there was a complication with the first op as 'Jocky' couldn't straighten his leg fully but a second op fixed this. After a few set-backs 'Jocky' eventually returned to match action in February 2003 and he'll now be hoping he can remain injury free as he aims to get his footballing career back on track.

Martin Taylor had an injury dogged season that ultimately cost him his future at the Club. A back problem saw him miss pre-season and despite returning for the first few League games he sat out the game at Bristol City on 24th August to miss his first League games for Wycombe since 15th January 2000. This was then followed by a gashed knee picked up at the training ground on Monday 2nd September that kept him out for further two weeks.
The goalkeeper situation has been dilemma for Lawrie Sanchez since Taylor struggled for fitness at the start of the season. Taylor was originally reported to have a knee problem but this migrated to a 'calf problem' during the week leading up to the game. Short term signing Frank Talia had been on the bench for all the League games prior to Bristol City away but he was thrown in at the last minute to make his Wycombe debut. He continued in goal against QPR and although Taylor returned to training later that week, Talia fought off Taylor with a number of first class displays.

Andy Rammell also had his season hampered by injury. The striker missed pre-season due to a tennis injury and said later he wouldn't be picking up a racket again until his football career is over. After fighting his way back into the side he then pulled a calf muscle during the home game with Luton Town on Saturday 28th December and although he returned briefly to First Team action in March it was too late to save his career at Wycombe as he became victim of financial cut-backs at the Club. He has since gone on to join Bristol Rovers in Division Three.

The injury list in season 2002/3 came after Wanderers entered into a pre-season two day a week 'maintenance and weights programme' put in operation since the first week in May. The squad then stepped up to full training on Monday 8th July as part of a fitness regime instigated by Lawrie Sanchez in an attempt to get the squad in prime condition before the start of 2002/3 season on 10th August. The Wycombe Manager commented at the time "It's 16 weeks between the end of this season and the start of next season and we need to be right." Wanderers have been part of research programme investigating football injuries and it's been shown that a high percentage of injuries occur in the opening weeks of the season due to players not being 100% on top of their fitness. Sanchez is looking for any possible advantage over other teams and added "Its something we've thought long and hard about. I don't want a situation where people are breaking down in pre-season."

To further this cause Wanderers used newly appointed Reserve Team boss Peter Cawley as a fitness coach. The former Wimbledon, Colchester and Barnet player is qualified and specialises in sports fitness and science. It was also revealed in September 2002 that the Club had taken on fitness guru Pat Fox whose previous experience includes time with the New Zealand All-Blacks, Saracens, London Wasps and Leeds United.


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