Double blow as Hucknall Town pair miss return to training on Saturday

Joey Butler is nursing a broken bone in his leg while important forward Joe Ashurst is beginning a once-in-a-lifetime three-month adventure trip across Europe.

Manager Andy Graves said: “Unfortunately we found out later on that Joey Butler broke his leg against Selston.

“He then actually played half the Shield game afterwards not knowing he had broken a little bone and is now in plaster for the next four weeks.

“He plays up front or down the left or right and we re-signed him in the first aborted season.

“He was doing really well, settling in, and in the last few games he looked like what we knew he could do.

“Unfortunately for him he's had a bit of a setback.

"But, fingers crossed, hopefully he will come back okay.

“He is a young lad so I would not expect him to be too far behind on fitness.

"And it will still be pre-season when he comes back so he shouldn't miss the start of the season if he is confident and feels fit enough.”

On his Euro wanderer, he added: “Joe Ashurst, my striker-cum-winger, from this week is travelling across Europe for three months.

“It was a trip he had planned last year but which got aborted due to Covid. Now's he is going ahead with it. “Good luck to him.

"I hope he comes back safe and ready to play as he will be a big miss for us.”