Allen Injury Deadline

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 10/04/2001

GRIMSBY TOWN striker Bradley Allen has been set a Thursday deadline by manager Lennie Lawrence to return to full training or accept that his season is over. If Grimsby's joint top scorer fails to prove his fitness, the 29 year old will be sent to Lilleshall to prepare for next season.

The deadline presents a challenging next few days for the former England U21 international as Allen's ankle injury is still too sore for him to run properly, never mind kick a ball. The former QPR and Charlton striker, who has been plagued all season with ankle problems, has been constantly reported on the verge of a comeback, but each new recovery so far has represented a false dawn.

A frustrated Lennie Lawrence has set the deadline to given Allen a chance to accept that he needs to take time out to fully regain his fitness and give his body a chance to repair fully the injuries before the start of the next campaign.

The joint leading scorer this season for the Mariners explained: "I've had a chat with the manager and he says Thursday is the deadline - after that I've got to go to Lilleshall for rehab training and then spend the summer getting fit in time for the start of the new season.

"It's not looking good right now because I did some light jogging and it doesn't feel right to me. Maybe time is running out for me to play again this season and, unless there is a dramatic improvement, the boss won't consider me again this season." said a disappointed Allen.

Before Christmas, Allen was forced out with a serious Achilles tendon injury and only managed one and a half games on his return before the current injury (on his other leg) struck. If it turns out that Allen has kicked his last ball in anger for The Mariners this season, Grimsby will be left with just Steve Livingstone, Luke Cornwall, Daryl Clare and Michael Jeffrey as the only experienced strikers left in the squad to play out the remaining six games.

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