Yet more bad luck for Rotherham United centre-forward Josh Kayode

The 24-year left the Millers in the summer for a season-long loan at fellow League One side Shrewsbury Town after spending the best part of two years out of action.

Only four games into his time with his new club, the attacker has been hit by a calf problem and is unlikely to play again until December.

Shrews boss Paul Hurst, a long-serving Rotherham left-back in his playing days, says the blow has hit the player hard.

“There is a person there, an individual, a human being, who is desperate to be able to get out on the pitch and play football,” he said.

“We knew there was an element of risk attached when we took Josh. His body has been letting him down and he has not been able to showcase his talent.

“It is easy in one sense to get angry and frustrated about it, but if you put yourself in his shoes and think about how it must be for him, it cannot be easy at all.”

Kayode was a highly-regarded prospect as he came through the Millers' youth set-up. However, he never truly established himself as a first-team contender.

Under Paul Warne, he went on loan to MK Dons early in the 2022/23 campaign only to require surgery on a knee problem and then, on his return to AESSEAL New York, need an operation after suffering quad damage.

Last term, then-boss Matt Taylor allowed him to join Carlisle United for the season but he hurt his shoulder two games into his loan and was later laid low by a calf issue.

The Cumbrians' management team were angered towards the end of his spell with them when he made himself unavailable for selection because he didn't want to risk breaking down again.

Hurst added: “It is certainly not the news that we want or the player himself wants.

“We will be giving him support and we will be working him hard in terms of what he can do in the gym so that when he does get back hopefully he is in the best shape that he can be and can get back up to speed very quickly.

“I had one long-term injury, towards the end of my career, and missed very little other than that. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to not be out there doing what you love to do.

“I think we have to sympathise with that, albeit, of course, it does not help us in terms of trying to get points and trying to win games.”

Kayode played nine times for MK and four times for Carlisle and has made only 23 appearances in total since August 22.

His four Shrews outings have brought him one goal, in a 3-3 Carabao Cup home draw with Notts County.

The former Republic of Ireland youth international is in the last year of his Millers contract and is set to part company with the club in May.

Meanwhile, Rotherham old boy Georgie Kelly is another centre-forward stuck in the treatment room.

The 27-year-old, who is still seeking his first goal after leaving New York to join Carlisle last January, has been ruled out for three months by a calf complaint.