By Nicholas Rigg
November 8 2005

Wednesday left-back John Hills has been involved in a car crash and has fractured a rib. The 27-year-old will be out for a number of weeks, and will also undergo knee surgery which has been troubling him for a number of weeks. Paul Heckingbottom is set to replace him for the forthcoming matches.

Wednesday left-back John Hills has been involved in a car crash and escaped with just a fractured rib.

The 27-year-old will be out for a number of weeks and will also undergo vital knee surgery which has been troubling him for the past few matches.

Manager Paul Sturrock said: ''John's fractured a rib but it's a great sigh of relief that that's all it is. It was a serious accident and he's a very lucky man. Even without the injury, I think the shock would have taken him out the game.''

Sturrock also said that Hills would have gone for an operation on his knee after the Cardiff match anyway, ruling him out for up to four weeks.

Paul Heckingbottom is set to take Hills place, after completing two reserve team matches.