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Wednesday, December 03, 2008, 09:18
PORT Vale winger Shane Tudor fears he may be forced to retire because of his knee injury.
The 26-year-old is to see Harley Street surgeon Andy Williams today for an assessment which will be crucial to his career.
Tudor hasn't played since injuring his left knee during Dean Glover's first game as manager, at Shrewsbury on October 11.
He ruptured a bursa, one of the pads which act as a shock absorber on the knee. That has left him with deep bone bruising and, with little sign of improvement, he is beginning to fear the worst.
Tudor missed most of last season before having an operation on the same knee in February to remove scar tissue.
The problems mean he has only started 13 games for Vale since signing on a free transfer from Leyton Orient in the summer of 2007.
He hasn't yet written off his career, but said: "In the last six or seven weeks there's been a slight improvement, but nothing major.
"The longer it goes on, you fear whether you will be able to play again, but you live in hope.
"At the moment, whether I play again or not will be decided around Christmas time."
Tudor, who is out of contract at the end of the season, says he has been privileged to be a professional footballer since breaking through the youth ranks at home-town club Wolves.
He is not asking for sympathy and has instead thanked the club and staff for their efforts.
He said: "Training is difficult for me at the moment and I have had to curtail that.
"The specialist might say I have to play in the Conference and train two days a week. That might be an option, but until decisions are made I can't really say too much.
"The club has been fantastic with me and I couldn't have asked for a better physio than John Bower."
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