Where Hartlepool United's ex-Middlesbrough defender is on his road to recovery

Dodds is one of several key players Hartlepool boss John Askey has had to do without for the majority of the season after the defender suffered an ACL injury during the win over AFC Fylde back in August.

Dodds went down late in the 3-1 victory over the Coasters and, despite being able to see out the remaining few minutes, was hit with the news he had damaged his ACL and would subsequently be out for the rest of the campaign.

It was a huge blow for Dodds, who has, largely, impressed for Hartlepool since joining on a permanent basis in January.

The 22-year-old had done well while on loan at neighbours Darlington before making the switch to League Two with Pools under previous boss Keith Curle.

The defender had made the right centre-back role his own before being hit with the injury which is set to keep him out for a year.

But despite the setback, Hartlepool’s club physio Danny O’Connor provided an update on the Bedlington-born defender where he suggests he remains on track with his recovery – with next season still the likely estimate for his return to action.

"Doddsy has had his surgery, he had it on the 14th,” O’Connor revealed.

"We’re currently just working on getting his leg moving again. He had a lot of swelling which we struggled to get down, but it’s improving all the time.

"I took his crutches off him, which he wasn’t happy about, but he’s weight-bearing okay, he’s moving okay and we’ve got him walking.

"I’m going to have him in the hydrotherapy treadmill at Teesside University quite a lot just to get that leg moving and speed things up a bit.

"Unfortunately it's for the season. I always say a year for ACL’s. He’s got to hit a number of key performance indicators before we progress things – some he might hit sooner. But I can’t wait to get him back. He’s doing well and we’re where we would expect to be at the moment.”