James Vaughan ruled out for the season

Mar 8 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

UNLUCKY James Vaughan will have another operation on his troubled knee amid fears his season may already be over.

The Everton striker visits world-renowned specialist Dr Richard Steadman in Colorado on Monday for surgery on the cartilage in his left knee.

Vaughan was absent from the party that travelled to Italy for the UEFA Cup tie against Fiorentina this week after his knee locked during training.

Everton had initially hoped to nurse the youngster through to the end of the season. But, after assessing the extent of the injury, Vaughan will be flown to the United States for an operation that will almost certainly rule him out for the remainder of the campaign.

The problem is affecting the same knee that Vaughan damaged while on international duty with England under-18s in September 2005, a career-threatening injury which forced him to miss 15 months and required a visit to Dr Steadman as part of his rehabilitation.

“He is having an operation on Monday,” said Everton manager David Moyes yesterday. “His knee has locked a couple of times and he is going to go out to Steadman to have a bit of cartilage trimmed.

“It’s the same knee (as a couple of years ago). I don’t know how long he is going to be out for but he is a doubt for the rest of the season I would have to say.

“It’s a blow to us. We knew that there was something. We had a look at the knee and we thought it was getting better but then his knee locked.

“We have decided that we need to have him operated on. We were hoping that he could get through to the end of the season.”

Vaughan has suffered desperate fortune with injuries since bursting on to the scene by becoming Everton’s youngest-ever goalscorer with his strike against Crystal Palace in April 2005.

After recovering from his long-term knee problem, the 19-year-old severed an artery in his foot at Bolton Wanderers last year and missed the first three months of this season after dislocating his shoulder in a pre-season friendly at Preston North End.

Vaughan, whose last appearance was as a substitute in the home win against Reading four weeks ago, has started only the FA Cup defeat to Oldham Athletic since his return to the first-team fold last October.

Meanwhile, Everton’s impressive league form in recent weeks has earned Moyes the manager of the month award for February.

The Goodison outfit didn’t concede a Premier League during a month in which the highlight was the impressive 2-0 win at fellow top-four aspirants Manchester City.

“I’d like to thank everyone at the club, especially the players, not only for February but for the previous ones too,” said Moyes, whose team travel to struggling Sunderland tomorrow. “They are playing tremendously well and we are making progress.

“It’s important we keep it up this month as it can set us up for the run-in.”

It is the fourth time Moyes has earned the award since joining Everton, having previously won it in November 2002, September 2004 and January 2006.

Everton, who arrived back yesterday lunchtime from Florence, have doubts over Leon Osman and Mikel Arteta for tomorrow’s visit to the Stadium of Light.

Lee Carsley serves a one-match suspension, meaning Tim Cahill may drop back into central midfield with Andrew Johnson partnering Yakubu in attack.

Young Everton striker Scott Spencer has joined Coca-Cola League Two side Macclesfield Town on a month’s loan.