[h=3]Albion striker deserves a change of luck[/h]3:00pm Thursday 7th November 2013 in Albion By Andy Naylor
Will Hoskins, stretchered off against Blackburn last season
* As we head for our padded seats at The Amex on Saturday spare a thought for Will Hoskins.
* He would rather be standing and kicking a ball around, not sitting like the rest of us.
* That professional pleasure has been denied most of the time for Albion's unluckiest player.
* The visit of Blackburn Rovers will be a painful reminder for Hoskins.
* It was in the corresponding fixture last season, in February, that his world caved in yet again.
* The prospects were looking brighter for Hoskins at that stage after a relentless pattern of injury and rehabilitation.
* The previous month he had come off the bench to clinch a 2-0 victory at home to Newcastle in the FA Cup.
* The Blackburn game, his first start since mid-December, was cut short just before half-time when Hoskins ruptured cruciate and medial knee ligaments trying to get on the end of a cross from Leo Ulloa.
* He should have been back well before Christmas but surgery did not go well and we may or may not see him back in action this season.
* Hoskins has only started six Championship matches in two and a bit seasons with Albion.
* There is nothing more frustrating for a player than being sidelined by injury, an experience which sadly has become all too familiar for the 27-year-old just when he should be reaching the peak of his powers.
* It is worth remembering Hoskins was the first striker Albion signed for life in the Championship at The Amex after losing Glenn Murray.
* Gus Poyet had been tracking him for some time and he had scored freely for Bristol Rovers the previous season, including against the League One title-winning Seagulls.
* The £500,000 fee looked a snip back then but the surgeons have been snipping away at the unfortunate Hoskins ever since.
* Albion had a long overdue break in their last match at The Amex with the Watford goal that wasn't. Now, fingers crossed, it is his turn.
Original article
* As we head for our padded seats at The Amex on Saturday spare a thought for Will Hoskins.
* He would rather be standing and kicking a ball around, not sitting like the rest of us.
* That professional pleasure has been denied most of the time for Albion's unluckiest player.
* The visit of Blackburn Rovers will be a painful reminder for Hoskins.
* It was in the corresponding fixture last season, in February, that his world caved in yet again.
* The prospects were looking brighter for Hoskins at that stage after a relentless pattern of injury and rehabilitation.
* The previous month he had come off the bench to clinch a 2-0 victory at home to Newcastle in the FA Cup.
* The Blackburn game, his first start since mid-December, was cut short just before half-time when Hoskins ruptured cruciate and medial knee ligaments trying to get on the end of a cross from Leo Ulloa.
* He should have been back well before Christmas but surgery did not go well and we may or may not see him back in action this season.
* Hoskins has only started six Championship matches in two and a bit seasons with Albion.
* There is nothing more frustrating for a player than being sidelined by injury, an experience which sadly has become all too familiar for the 27-year-old just when he should be reaching the peak of his powers.
* It is worth remembering Hoskins was the first striker Albion signed for life in the Championship at The Amex after losing Glenn Murray.
* Gus Poyet had been tracking him for some time and he had scored freely for Bristol Rovers the previous season, including against the League One title-winning Seagulls.
* The £500,000 fee looked a snip back then but the surgeons have been snipping away at the unfortunate Hoskins ever since.
* Albion had a long overdue break in their last match at The Amex with the Watford goal that wasn't. Now, fingers crossed, it is his turn.
Original article