Clint Hill reveals why Fleetwood Town's suspended Stoke City loan star Harry Souttar has been spotted on crutches

Fleetwood Town’s Stoke City loan star Harry Souttar has been spotted on crutches but coach Clint Hill says it is just a precaution.
Harry SouttarHarry Souttar
Harry Souttar

The giant 20-year-old Stoke defender has missed Town’s last two games thanks to suspension and completes his ban against Bristol Rovers on Saturday following his red card at Barnsley.Souttar was spotted on crutches at Highbury for the Good Friday draw with Peterborough but coach Hill says that was a precaution.Town are hopeful he can feature in the final two games against Sunderland and Wycombe and Hill said: “It’s his toe – he has a weird cut and it might be a slight fracture.”In his absence Town’s latest young starlet James Hill made a big impression at Blackpool and boss Joey Barton said there is more to the 17-year-old’s game than a long throw.Hill became the youngest player to start an EFL game for Town when he lined up in the back four at Blackpool on Monday. His long throws have caused chaos in opposition boxes and Barton said: “It is just something he does. You get a throw-in in the final third and it is like a corner it is that long. We’d be naive not to use that.“He is a good player – it is not all about the long throw.“He showed he can handle the occasion. The future looks bright for him.“We have to develop him along with a number of our youngsters.“The challenge now is that we give him the best opportunity to develop at Fleetwood Town.”