Callum Ainley: Crewe Alexandra midfielder to miss three months after shoulder surgery

Callum Ainley came through the youth ranks at Crewe and has made more than 200 senior appearances for the club

Crewe midfielder Callum Ainley will be out of action for about three months after sustaining a shoulder injury on Saturday which will require surgery.

The 24-year-old dislocated the joint in the Alex's 2-1 League One defeat by Mansfield.

Scans have shown he has suffered ligament and bone damage and needs an operation to correct it.

Crewe boss Alex Morris described Ainley's injury as the "worst-case scenario".

"We were hoping his dislocation could have been just clicked back into place, as it was on Saturday, without further complications," Morris said.

"But it's caused problems with both ligaments and bones, so he will have to undergo an operation."

Morris, in his first full season in charge, also said midfielder Oliver Finney will miss the next month with an ankle injury.