Jamie Shackleton’s Sheffield United nightmare continues as ex-Leeds United man supported amid future uncertainty
Jamie Shackleton will miss Sheffield United’s trip to Bristol City as Chris Wilder admits the midfielder has endured a difficult period, with repeated injury setbacks disrupting his Bramall Lane career and his contract due to expire next summer.
Jamie Shackleton is facing another frustrating spell on the Sheffield United sidelines after suffering a fresh injury setback, with Chris Wilder acknowledging the difficult period the midfielder has endured since arriving at Bramall Lane. Shackleton has struggled for consistent fitness since arriving two summers ago.
He will miss Saturday’s trip to Bristol City as he works his way back to fitness, when otherwise he would be in contention to start amid United’s right back crisis. Hamza Choudhury is suspended after being sent off against Portsmouth on Wednesday while Femi Seriki and Matt Doherty are not fit enough to start.
Wilder admitted the repeated interruptions have been disappointing for both the player and the club, but Shackleton is receiving support from his teammates and the club as he looks to overcome a torrid time in his career and back to full fitness.
“He’s had a difficult period,” Wilder said. “I’ve been vocal regarding players in the past and they don’t want to be injured, but he keeps picking up some bits and pieces and he’s more frustrated than anybody that at the moment he can’t contribute regularly.
“He had a little spell where he got himself onto the pitch, but we’re working with him and the medical team to get him back available.”
The former Leeds United utility man is a popular figure in the United dressing room and the injury hell will have also taken a toll mentally. He is out of contract in the summer and having played just over 20 times in just over two years, and with United looking to prioritise availability, is facing an uncertain future.
“The players get round the player as well because he’s a popular player as well, so we keep having setback after setback,” Wilder added.
“He passed the stringent medical two seasons ago, so we’ve got top medical people working for us. We really trust their work.”
Seriki, Harrison Burrows, Ryan One, Tahith Chong and Kalvin Phillips are among those back in contention, although Seriki is not seen as available for the weekend, with Doherty and Shackleton the only two Wilder identified as longer-term absentees.
“That’s pretty decent,” he said. “If you put that up against other Championship clubs, I think that would be right up there in terms of availability. The players getting round Shacks is big, and also the support that he gets from us.”