Birmingham City have been dealt a huge blow ahead of the new 2021/22 Championship season, after one of their players was hospitalised with Covid-19 complications.
Despite most of the country being vaccinated with at least one jab, and for certain age groups both jabs have been administered, goalkeeper, Neil Etheridge, 31, has contracted the virus and will be out indefinitely according to talkSPORT.
MORE: Bad news for Liverpool’s rivals
With just over three weeks until Birmingham take on Sheffield United in their first Championship fixture of the new campaign, it’s clear that Etheridge won’t play any part in his team’s pre-season.
The club released a Twitter message to give the custodian some strength as he prepares to battle what is still a virulent virus, despite what some would have us believe.
The length of hospitalisation will more than likely dictate how long Etheridge is out for in total, though it’s clear that both player and club hope that’s sooner rather than later.