Elliott Dickman has described the loss of Sunderland under-18s skipper Adam Bale as a devastating blow and has wished him a safe recovery.
The midfielder sustained a knee injury 30 seconds after coming off the bench in a friendly against Jarrow earlier this month, and is now likely to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Having previously lavished praise on the 17-year-old’s efforts both on and off the field this season, Dickman has admitted Bale's omission will be a huge loss as the youth team continue to chase their first U18 Premier League win of the campaign.
“It’s a massive loss to the team because he has started the season so well and been a fantastic captain for the youth team,” he said.
“He has been our most consistent performer and all the players and staff are absolutely devastated for him.
“The injury he has picked up will keep him out for a long while, it’s hard to say exactly how long just yet, but everyone is just hopeful he recovers well and we wish him all the best.”
