West Brom loanee Martin Kelly speaks out after suffering injury on Wigan debut
West Brom loanee Martin Kelly has spoken out after he suffered a serious looking knee injury on his debut for Wigan Athletic in the Championship.
The 32-year-old enjoyed a stunning debut for the Latics in their 0-0 draw against Blackburn Rovers on Monday night (6 February) after confirming his loan switch from West Brom in the January transfer window.
The Englishman was named Sky Sports’ man of the match, but only after he hobbled off the pitch with 15 minutes to play following a nasty looking injury.
After the match, Kelly tweeted (Monday 6 February): “I’m a broken man, devastated is an understatement.
“The boys will build on a good performance thanks for the support and appreciation out there.”
Tough break
A January move for Kelly made sense for all parties, as he wasn’t getting the necessary game time under Carlos Corberan at the Hawthorns and Wigan desperately needed defensive reinforcements.
His debut for the Latics highlighted the quality that he still possesses, having built his career at a number of clubs across the football league. At his best Kelly is an experienced and dogged defender who makes his voice heard in the dressing room.
Considering Wigan are rooted to the bottom of the Championship, this was the perfect challenge for him to partake in, but the serious knee could well have ended his loan spell before it even got going.
The injury has left the Championship strugglers sweating on his test results, but if a season-ending injury is confirmed, he may well be called back to the Hawthorns to undertake his rehabilitation.
His Albion first-team future is still unclear after just making seven appearances before being sent out on loan, and with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2024, the club may decide to part ways with him at the end of the season.
In other West Brom news, a defender may never feature for the club again after what happened recently and may even leave for free.