Paul McCone: I aim to be back in six months
AFC Telford United defender Paul McCone is set to undergo knee surgery today – and hopes to be playing in six months' time.
McCone is due to have his anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth hospital in an operation that should last less than an hour.
The 24-year-old damaged his knee in November and has been having treatment and doing strengthening exercises after seeing a consultant on January 8.
"From what I've heard it's a pretty simple operation," said McCone.
"They take something similar in size to your little finger from your patella tendon.
"Then they make three little keyholes to drill through to the bottom of the ligament and do the same above the knee, then insert the ligament that they have taken out."
McCone accepts it's a long road to recovery.
"I'll be on crutches for two to three weeks and then they have said I should be running in three months and be back playing football in six months," he said.
"But that's a very general estimate – it all depends on me and how it heals."
McCone has been reassured about his long-term recovery.
"It used to be a big operation but now they've done that many they've got it to a tee," he said.
