Hylton is a doubt for the start of the season

Hatters striker Danny Hylton is a doubt for the start of the season after manager Nathan Jones revealed he has undergone a minor operation on his leg.
Town striker Danny Hylton scores against CheltenhamTown striker Danny Hylton scores against Cheltenham
Town striker Danny Hylton scores against Cheltenham

The forward was Town's talisman throughout the previous campaign, scoring a career best 27 goals, but has had surgery in the summer and not returned to training yet.

Speaking during this evening's pre-season friendly at Hitchin Town, Jones said: "He's had a precautionary minor procedure, but we knew he was doing that.

"He was playing with pain for the last month of the season, so he's recuperating now.

"He had that done a little while back, so we won't rush him, his body probably needs a rest to be fair, because he hasn't been injured very often in his career and the workrate and distances he covers, it's probably the only way you get him to sit still, so that's what he's done."

On what the issue was for Hylton, who joined from Oxford United, Jones continued: "He had a little thing in his lower leg and was playing through pain last season.

"He had an injection to play on, we didn't think he was going to play in the second leg of the play-offs, but he somehow got out there and that's a credit to him."

When asked if he expected Hylton to be fit for the start of the season, Jones added: "We'll just wait, we won't push him, we'll see how he reacts and we will not push him in anyway as we pushed him all of last season.

"Towards the end of the season he was in a lot of discomfort and we had to manage him training wise, so we want a fully fit Danny Hylton back, we want to get him back safely, so we'll make sure we do that.

"It's a minor thing and that will heal by itself. It's not ideal, but it's not the end of the world either.

"Danny Hylton is just a fantastically fit player, he doesn't stop working day in day out, even after he goes home, he's very energetic in his house.

"So he'll be playing catch up slightly, but that won't do him any harm, with the quality we've brought into the side as well, it gives them an opportunity to stake an early claim.

"Danny will recover fully and we won't push him because it's a long season as we found out."