TONY Dinning is targeting a mid-January comeback from an injury he initially feared could bring a premature end to his season.
The 32-year-old midfielder has been out of action since November 25, when he was injured during the first half of Chester’s derby draw at Wrexham.
The early signs were not good, as Dinning was told he could have damaged his cruciate ligament – something which would have sidelined him for several months. But the problem is not as bad as first thought and, if all goes well, he should be pushing for a first-team recall in a few weeks’ time.
Dinning said: “The injury is easing up a lot, to be fair. It was painful when I first did it and it was painful for a week to 10 days after that, but then I got sorted out at the hospital. Day by day, it’s getting better and I’m hoping to be back by about the middle of January, which is only another three or four weeks away. It could have been a lot, lot worse.”
Dinning was alarmed to be told he may have suffered ligament damage when his injury was assessed in Wrexham’s treatment room at the Racecourse. As it transpired, the Geordie had only tendon damage.
He said: “Wrexham’s club doctors, who had a look at it when I came in, weren’t too sure whether it was a lot more serious than it was. They were mentioning cruciates and stuff like that, which wasn’t the best thing to hear.
“I was absolutely made up when I found out that wasn’t the case and I wasn’t going to be out for half as long.”
Dinning has no chance of playing in any of Chester’s festive fixtures, but that doesn’t mean he will get more time at home with his family over Christmas. Far from it, in fact.
He said: “You get even less time with your family when you’re injured. That’s the worse thing about it. You’re in for longer days, trying to get yourself back to fitness and getting your treatment. But every player knows there’s no good time to get injured and the time of year is irrelevant really.”
