Cobblers striker Alex Nicholls faces a long road back to recovery following his horrific injury sustained in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Port Vale, but it is a well-trodden path as the 24-year-old has already come back from a previous broken leg.
Nicholls is currently recovering in Northampton General Hospital having suffered a double compound fracture of his left leg following a late tackle from Vale skipper John McCombe, who saw red for the challenge but insisted after the game it was not malicious.
Nicholls has undergone an operation to insert a pin in his tibia and has had a skin graft as surgeons battle to repair the leg.
But six years ago Nicholls suffered a similar fate while playing for Walsall’s youth team in a Midlands Youth Cup tie against Hednesford Town on Monday, February 27.
Then aged 18, Nicholls - who was making his way in the professional game having made 13 appearances for the Saddlers first team, was fouled just before half-time and had to be taken off.
He was later sent to hospital for an X-ray, which revealed a break just above his ankle.
The young striker missed the rest of the season but made a full recovery and progressed through the ranks to secure a first team berth.
Cobblers fans will be hoping for a similar outcome second time around and will be looking to inspiration from other footballers who have suffered the same injury, most notably former Arsenal striker Eduardo.
He was sidelined for a year but came back to earn a £6million move to Shakhtar Donetsk and is a regular in the Champions League.
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