Blades in goalkeeper hunt as Howard sidelined for 12 weeks

The Blades had initially expected the 26-year-old, who came off after just 11 minutes of last Saturday’s 1-0 League One victory at Leyton Orient, to be out for just a month, but the prognosis is much worse than first feared and represents a blow that boss Wilson could have done without.

An ever-present this term ahead of his misfortune against the O’s, Howard had firmly taken his chance to establish himself as first-choice goalkeeper at Bramall Lane following the summer departure of Steve Simonsen with both hands, providing himself a reliable last line of defence in the early throes of the 2012-13 campaign.

But having grasped the cherished opportunity he had craved to become a Football League regular for the first time in his career despite being in his mid-twenties, the Londoner – who started out at Arsenal, but never made an appearance for the first-team – has been dealt a serious dose of misfortune with his manager full of sympathy for him.

On Howard, who played second fiddle to Simonsen after joining on a full-time basis in February, Wilson said: “Mark’s injury is a lot longer than we hoped, unfortunately. It looks like it is going to be between eight and 10 or 12 weeks at the moment.

“He has got quite a severe thigh strain and at this moment if he comes back within that time, it will be a bonus.

“It is a big blow. I feel for Mark as he was just about coming onto his game and I thought he was really, really putting his mark down on the team. His performances had been very relaxed in terms of his dominance and his relationship with the back four was getting better.

“I am just gutted for him because he was desperate to come in and play last season, let alone this season and sadly that has been curtailed a little bit.

“We are a man down in that area and it is important we bring somebody in to supplement that goalkeeping area.”

Highly-rated England Under-18 custodian George Long, who impressed after going on as Howard’s replacement at the Matchroom Stadium, is expected to be entrusted with keeping duties for his hometown club in the Roses clash with Oldham Athletic at Bramall Lane tomorrow, with Wilson’s effort to bring in some cover having so far drawn a blank.

Wilson, who has failed to extend the loan of Paul Gallagher from Leicester City, said: “We are still in the market and are looking what is around.

“We have made a million-and-one calls since last Saturday evening and have got maybes and possibles and clubs saying: ‘You will have to wait until after the weekend’ type of thing. But we will just keep persevering; although we do have a lot of faith in George.

“George can have the best game in the world on Saturday, but we will still need cover. We have had a few knock-backs so far and it has been difficult as up and down the country, the top two divisions are on an international break and getting hold of people at times is difficult.”

Meanwhile, Wilson has paid tribute to defender Neill Collins for playing through the pain barrier in last week’s victory at Hartlepool United with a nasty foot injury, which forced him to head off to hospital in the wake of the 2-1 win in the north-east.

The Scot was put on a course of antibiotics after an infection was diagnosed, forcing him to miss the trip to Orient, with the centre-half’s participation this weekend again in question.

Wilson added: “We are not sure about Neil for this weekend. He did not train yesterday (Thursday), but he is a lot better and the infection is clearing up brilliantly.

“It was a nasty one, quite honestly. You do not stay in hospital for the amount of time he did if it was not nasty.”