Bradford City wing-back Lewis Richards has opted to forgo an operation on his shoulder in order to play the remainder of the season.
It had been feared that the 23-year-old would miss the remainder of the season following a collision during City’s game against AFC Wimbledon, which saw the former Harrogate Town loanee succumb to the same issue for the second time in three months.
Alexander Upbeat Following Scan
Speaking to the Telegraph and Argus the day following City’s eighth consecutive home win against Accrington Stanley, Graham Alexander provided the latest on Richards’ condition.
“He had a scan and, to be fair, I thought he was going to be out for the season because it’s the second time he’s done it. But the surgeon was really positive. It will take an operation at some point but there’s no need to have it right now.
“There’s no more damage than the last time so it can be a similar sort of scenario to when he was out for three or four weeks and then was back playing. But we left it to Lewis. It had to be his choice because it’s his body and he was desperate to stay involved and be back in the group.
“He was out on the grass today with his boots on. Not with the players but just on his own doing stuff. It’s just that healing process that he’s got to go through again.”
Tyreik Wright played on the left-hand side for City against Stanley, with the win for The Bantams elevating them into third place in the League Two table.
Writer’s View
Lewis Richards has been Bradford City’s standout performer at left-wing back this season after Tyreik Wright and Clarke Odour’s stints there were not very fruitful. It is brilliant news for the club that the 23-year-old can temporarily avoid surgery for this crucial point of the season but it will be a bit of a blow that he is out for a short period. The Bantams look to have finally grown into the form that is always expected of them at the start of every season and this time it truly feels that they can finally get that promotion. It is now up to them to back up those credentials and beat their competitors to an automatic promotion spot, and perhaps with Walsall‘s form sliding, a League Two title lift.
