Celtic hitman Johnny Kenny has had his successful spell on loan to Bolton Wanderers cruelly cut short after suffering a serious knee injury on the eve of their crucial playoff semi-final against Bradford City.
Nominated for the EFL League One player of the month in April, the 22-year-old had been in scintillating form in front of goal after joining the promotion-chasing outfit in February, scoring six goals for the Trotters as they sealed a fourth-place finish in the English third tier.
Backed by head coach Steven Schumacher to fire Bolton back to the EFL Championship for the first time in seven years, Kenny picked up a problem late during the 3-2 defeat against Luton Town on the final day of the regular season, though the club were hopeful that he would recover in time to play a part in their playoff campaign.
A goal from Amario Cozier-Duberry on the hour mark sealed a vital 1-0 first leg victory over Bradford City at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday, but Republic of Ireland striker Kenny was nowhere to be seen in the club’s matchday squad, and the crushing injury news was confirmed by Bolton boss Schumacher after the game, with the Celtic youngster scheduled to see a specialist this week to determine whether he needs an operation
“It’s a similar injury to the one Amario had [knee ligament], so it is season-ending for us, certainly,” said Schmacher. “Six goals total for us, a few assists, he was a constant threat, not easy to play against and I spoke a few weeks ago how important he has been for us, so I can’t deny that he’s going to be a miss.
“Like we’ve proved all season, Sam Dalby got injured in the first week of pre-season, Mason Burstow stepped up and got off to a flyer, and we’ve had other injuries, Marcus Forss, Amario, Cordy Blackett-Taylor, two midfield players were injured for seven weeks. But we have had players who have stepped up and that’s what we need now. Yes, we are going to miss Johnny Kenny, but someone else will step up and be the hero for us.”
Despite starting the season as a regular in Celtic’s first-team squad, bagging six goals in 22 appearances for the club, he opted to join the third-tier outfit on loan in January to play more regularly after dropping down the pecking order under manager Martin O’Neill. Under contract until the summer of 2029, the Riverstown native’s future at the club remains uncertain, though he has previously insisted that he sees his future with the Glasgow giants.
