Gardner to undergo minor knee surgery
published: Friday | December 3, 2004

LONDON, CMC:

JAMAICAN INTERNATIONAL Ricardo Gardner will undergo a knee operation which will keep him out of action for his English Premiership team Bolton Wanderers for the next three weeks.

The 25-year-old defender sustained a damaged cartilage in his knee during Bolton's 1-0 loss to Portsmouth on Saturday and the club confirmed that the injury would require surgery.

"Ricardo will have part of his cartilage trimmed and would be expected to be out, if there is not further damage, for three weeks," Bolton's manager, Sam Allardyce, revealed.

A member of the Reggae Boyz side that missed qualification for the final round of the CONCACAF World Cup competition, Gardner has put in several sterling performances for the north west England club already this season.

Gardner, who arrived at the Reebok Stadium in 1998, has been a steady member of the Bolton defence and his absence will leave several headaches for Allardyce, especially ahead of the team's visit to third-place Everton at the weekend.

"Suddenly the squad is starting to look thin," Allardyce complained. "Along with Ricardo, El-Hadji Diouf will be missing for a number of matches, with a
disciplinary hearing pending.

"Khalilou Fadiga is still a long way off before we see him playing again and
Les Ferdinand is still struggling with back problems," he said.

Bolton, who have done well in the Premiership in recent seasons, are currently eighth in the table on 23 points.

"The current situation will test the squad but with the January transfer window looming, I am hoping to strengthen in that period," Allardyce said.