It looks like Scott Heard could be out all season, says Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley

FOLKESTONE INVICTA manager Neil Cugley says midfielder Scott Heard may miss the whole of next season through injury after having a knee operation earlier in the month.

“Sadly Heardy’s had a letter from the specialists that says he needs to rest the knee a lot longer than we had hoped.  It looks like he could be out all season and with the energy that lad has, it must be a nightmare for him,” Cugley told www.folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk.

“Needless to say we’re all very disappointed both for the club, but even more for him himself.

“For someone who has never really been injured before this is hard to get used to but he’s got to play if safe and let’s hope that in five or six months’ time he might be able to think about playing again.”

Popular attacking midfielder or right-back Jerald Aboagye has agreed to stay with the Bostik Premier Division club and accept the terms offered by the club at the end of last season.

Cugley said: “I had another meeting with Jerald yesterday and he admitted that he’d had few issues to sort out which he’s now a lot happier about.  He spoke well, and I think we now all know where we stand.

“He put in some excellent performances for us last season but his form perhaps dropped off a little towards the end so let’s hope that he gets back to that kind of form. I’d watched him a lot (when he was at Hythe, and I was always confident that he was good enough for the Bostik Premier and I still believe that - as long as can bring a little more consistency into his game.”

The third piece of news that we can bring is that experienced midfielder/defender Phil Starkey looks likely to be returning to Cheriton Road after not being involved on the playing season in 2017/18.

Starkey was a key member of Invicta’s promotion squad in the previous campaign but missed out virtually entirely last time following a long-term injury.

“Phil wasn’t paid by us last season, but he kept in touch and came to a few games,” added Cugley.

“We all know what he brings to us and he walked away with several of the major trophies in our championship season so I’m delighted that he wants to come back.”

Folkestone Invicta open their pre-season campaign when Sky Bet League One side Gillingham visit Cheriton Road on Friday 6 July.

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk