Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick sends message to Kieran Wallace following anterior cruciate ligament injury
Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick has offered his support to Kieran Wallace after the midfielder suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while out on loan at National League North side Peterborough Sports.
The 30-year-old hasn't played a game for Pools since February 2024 and underwent surgery last April. The luckless midfielder has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and his time at Pools has been no different, with Wallace reduced to just 21 appearances since signing for the club in the summer of 2023.
The former Sheffield United, Burton Albion and Mansfield man had been taking some tentative steps towards full fitness of late. Wallace captained a young Pools side in their Durham Challenge Cup defeat to Chester-Le-Steet United in September and made seven appearances for Tamworth during a fleeting loan spell at the end of last year. The midfielder headed out on loan again last month, signing for National League North side Peterborough Sports. However, he sustained a dreaded ACL injury against Rushall Olympic on just his fourth appearance for the Turbines and now looks set for another long spell on the sidelines.
Barring a miracle, Wallace looks certain to leave Pools when his contract runs out this summer. Clearly talented, Wallace was capped by England at under-16 and under-17 level and was well thought of at Sheffield United, breaking into the side under Nigel Adkins. However, injuries have taken their toll and Wallace will face an uphill battle if he's to reignite his career. Having already ruptured his cruciate ligament in 2021 and sustained a string of serious injuries during his time in the North East, Wallace will be desperate for some better luck when he recovers.
"I really feel for Kieran," Limbrick said.
"He was on loan at Tamworth when I first joined but I knew of him from a couple of people at Burton Albion. I'd heard from them that he was a good character.
"When he came back and trained with us he was really good, a good technician and a really good person to have around the group. I think he's been unlucky, I think there are other really good midfielders that have gone ahead of him in the pecking order.
"I thought Peterborough Sports was a good loan for him, it was close to where I'd worked before at Peterborough, so we knew a few of the people there. I think he's just been really unfortunate and really unlucky and we've had a couple of those injuries recently. We wish him all the best in his recovery."