Newport County Co-Captain Aaron Wildig Sidelined for Season Due to Knee Injury

Newport County’s co-captain, Aaron Wildig, will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury. The midfielder, who transferred to Newport County from Morecambe in 2022, has been sidelined. The 32-year-old midfielder sustained damage to his anterior cruciate ligaments. This occurred after an awkward landing following a challenge with Kieran Green during Saturday’s goalless home draw against Grimsby Town. He was substituted in the 63rd minute, and subsequent medical scans confirmed the severity of the injury. Head coach Nelson Jardim commented on the situation, stating: “It is everything we hoped it would not be and it’s a huge blow for us.” He added, “It’s disappointing because Aaron is not just a quality player but a leader on and off the pitch for us.” Jardim further emphasized Wildig’s importance, saying, “He has been a pivotal figure for me, a true leader and a key part of our squad. His presence on the field, his experience and his character are things we will miss immensely.” Wildig, who arrived at the Exiles in June 2022, has accumulated more than 370 league appearances during his career. This season, he shares the top scorer position with Kyle Hudlin, each having scored four league goals. He was appointed co-skipper alongside James Clarke at the start of the current campaign. Newport currently holds 15th place in the league table, having contended with numerous injuries throughout the campaign. The team is scheduled to visit Notts County for a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, with the hosts currently positioned sixth, within the League Two play-off places. Jardim further elaborated on the team’s injury challenges, stating: “It has been a frustrating few months with injuries which has been really tough to deal with. We have had limited spells when everyone has been fit, so there has been a lot of change in the line-up week to week.” He concluded with a message of resilience: “We have a strong squad and while it is tough losing Aaron we have players capable of stepping in. We have to keep going as a team because we have a tough couple of weeks ahead of us with the busy schedule.”