Out For Season

By Eye Of The Tiger
March 24 2009

Hull Defender Anthony Gardner will miss the remainder of the season with a back injury he sustained in last week's FA Cup defeat at Arsenal. The defender picked up the injury in added time at the Emirates Stadium and subsequent x-rays have revealed four fractured vertebrae in the base of his spine.

It's a huge blow for the former Spurs defender and to manager Phil Brown.

"Unfortunately, the x-ray has found that there are four fractured vertebrae in the base of Anthony's spine," Brown told www.hullcityafc.net

"That manifests itself in that he will be out for the rest of the season.

"It's a big blow. Anthony has been very unlucky and we sympathise with how unlucky he has been. It's been a stop-start season for him to say the least.

"People have questioned whether he can physically handle it at this level. We certainly think he can.

"We brought him in to do a job and he has Premier League experience. He had formed a reasonable partnership with Michael Turner in a short space of time.

"It's an unusual injury for a footballer. With rest and recuperation, he'll be back for pre-season training."

Gardner has missed much of the season due to injuries following his £2.5 million move from Tottenham in the summer.