With a big competition coming up, the dreaded English curse of the metatarsal has reared its head again.

Langston snr is ruled out of the opening game and potentially the whole competition. Already struggling with an achilles tendon problem the veteran defender is said to be distraught over his latest setback, just as he was returning  to the kind of form that saw the goals against average plummet in the run up to Christmas. The training ground incident came from a 50:50 challenge between Pete and midfield terrier Dan. “I went in fairly low as anything above my knee would be head high for Dan, but unfortunately in the tackle the ball popped out somewhere and I caught the bottom of Dan’s foot, it happens” said the graceful stopper.

Gaffer Millist is believed to be devastated at the loss as Langston was rumoured to have agreed to include a Bewitched number in his acoustic indie set at the end of season bash. “If he can’t stand up he can’t have the gig” Millist is understood to have said, “I’m not having a folk night with him sitting on a stool.”

When asked about the effect on the team line up, Millist was less worried. “You have to cope with injuries, even when they are to your top players, and anyway, Dan did it so he will be at centre half on Saturday. Often a loss like this can spur the other lads on. They will give their best to fill in the massive gap in the back four that Pete will leave.”