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Wolves' Aaron McCarey out for three months

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Wolves have been dealt a blow with news that goalkeeper Aaron McCarey will be out for up to three months.

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The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international underwent surgery on a bulging disc in his back yesterday in London and the second-choice will be sidelined into the new year.

Head coach Kenny Jackett said: "He has a disc in his back that's basically bulging and needed correction through surgery. It's quite serious. I would estimate two to three months.

"Phil Hayward (head of medical department) went down there with him yesterday."

McCarey's injury, potentially, leaves the untried Jon Flatt as the only senior goalkeeping cover to first-choice shot-stopper Carl Ikeme.

Wolves could sign goalkeeping cover in the loan window, which is open until the third Thursday in November.

But after exploring different alternatives including injections and lightening McCarey's training load, it was decided surgery was the best route.

Danny Batth was among those who wished McCarey a quick recovery

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Jackett said: "It's something that's been ongoing – he's felt it pretty much all season. We modified his training – we tried to ease it down a little bit.

"He had a series of injections to try to settle it down and then it was decided just before last Saturday's game that we were going to pull him out and take him to a specialist, because it wasn't improving.

"The relevant information from the medical people was if there wasn't enough improvement in trying to manage it for the last two months then it needed surgery.

"Surgery is a last resort but that's been the process so far this season."

Jackett could tell in McCarey's performances how the 22-year-old has been restricted.

He added: "If I look at his performance in the Northampton game, he didn't look the same and he hasn't quite looked right in the Under-21s games he's played in.

"And he's a different lad from this time last year where he was saving penalties against Walsall, which would explain a lot. So it's the right thing but he'll be better for it."

Flatt will appear in an Under-21s team who play Stratford Town in the Birmingham Senior Cup tonight.

Team: Flatt, Iorfa, Swan, Carter, O'Hanlon, Weeks, Ortega, Erdei, Reid, Keita, Hunte.

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