Sheffield United youngster Andre Brooks' injury set back prompts questions about new training surface

After impressing on his full senior debut during this month’s FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur, the midfielder appeared set to be handed more opportunities between now and the end of the Championship season, as Paul Heckingbottom’s side continue their push for Premier League football at Sunderland tomorrow.

But that plan has been put on hold by an issue sustained ahead of Saturday’s defeat by Luton Town, when United were required to train indoors after heavy snow saw the Randox Health Academy’s pitches declared out of bounds.

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“Andre, he’s walking around in a (protective) boot at the moment,” Heckingbottom said. “It happened when he trained indoors the other day. We’ll see (how it is).”

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Although he refused to be drawn further, the 45-year-old’s admission that Brooks and his team mates were forced to prepare for the meeting with Town on a hard, artificial surface will inevitably prompt further questions about how operational a new pitch, recently laid at the complex, actually is. Having sanctioned the investment following complaints about standards there behind the scenes, United’s hierarchy initially suggested it would be opened over the summer. It was just before Christmas when the work was finally completed, and even then it emerged the timing of the work meant it was not immediately suitable for use in wet conditions. As part of the project, undersoil heating was also installed - which should have enabled United’s players to work out as normal. The Star understands it would cost a significant five figure sum to switch this on and, with United currently operating under a transfer embargo, it remains unclear if permission was received to activate it before the meeting with Rob Edwards’ side. Or whether the move into the site's main hall contributed to Brooks’ situation.

Beaten 1-0 by the visitors from Bedfordshire, Heckingbottom’s men reported back for duty yesterday still second in the table but only four points above third-placed Middlesbrough who face Stoke City tonight.

“We’re looking to see how Andre is,” said Heckingbottom, whose team meets Blackburn Rovers in the quarter-finals on Sunday.

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