Club confirm another injury for Arsenal loanee

Crawley Town have confirmed that Louie Copley has suffered another injury, marking the third setback of his four-month loan from Arsenal.

Louie Copley was absent from Crawley Town’s squad to face Accrington Stanley at the weekend, and the club have confirmed that this was due to injury.

Though details of the problem aren’t currently available, it’s a concern for the on-loan Arsenal midfielder given the two injury absences he’s already had in the last few months.

Copley was out of action for three games between January and February, and in his return match against Tranmere Rovers he suffered a setback ruling him out of Crawley’s next seven fixtures.

The 19-year-old’s second return from injury went a lot better at first, as he started four of Crawley’s next five games, playing 30 minutes as a substitute in the only one he didn’t start.

In fact, following Copley’s last appearance against Shrewsbury Town, he received praise from former Arsenal academy coach and Crawley boss Colin Kazim-Richards.

“I’ve been very impressed,” Kazim-Richards said of Copley. “Obviously he’s come from an institution where I was. I thought today (against Shrewsbury), changing the shape a little bit would suit him a lot and I think I was right. It gives him an extra freedom, it gives him an extra space.

“It gives him an extra outlet, an extra option when he has the ball. I think he showed a lot of maturity dropping down in the lines and being able to pick up the ball in spaces.”

Sadly, that positive display was followed by another injury absence, and Copley will now be fighting to get fit for Crawley’s final match of the season against Salford City.

The match is vitally important to Crawley, as they’re only clear of the relegation zone on goal difference. If they lose and Harrogate Town don’t, they’ll be sent down to the National League.

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