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Frank Gray

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Montague out for the season

Basingstoke Town have suffered a huge blow with the news that new signing Ross Montague will be out for the season.

The 21-year-old striker suffered a knee injury in a pre-season friendly against a Southampton XI last Saturday and scans have revealed damage to his cruciate ligament.

Montague was sidelined for much of last season due to damage he sustained on the same knee but it was hoped he had made a full recovery.

Manager Frank Gray was understandably downbeat after hearing the news.

He told the Basingstoke Gazette: "Ross has done his cruciate again. He needs an operation to sort the problem and will probably be out for the whole season.

"It's a setback because Ross was one of our early targets but I am less disappointed for myself than I am for the lad. It's horrible when something like that happens and he is a lovely lad."

Gray will now go in search of a replacement but has given Montague the opportunity to recover at the club in the hope that he will be back some time this season.

"We are in a position to go out and find someone else and we have a few targets in mind., We are looking for a similar player to Ross, a target man type.

"We will not rush into anything because we need to make sure we get the right man. We have got a few players in mind but do not need to panic because we have got a bit of time before the start of the season.

"We have said that Ross can do his rehabilitation with us if he wants though. If he gets himself right before the end of the season, there might still be a place for him in the squad."