The club announced this morning that youth academy player George Della Vale is to undergo major heart surgery in St Thomas’s Hospital later today.

Vice chairman Peter Varney said, “George was taken ill at a recent academy match and following a series of tests specialists found a defect which can be readily corrected by surgery.

“Everyone at the club sends George their best wishes for a speedy recovery and doctors are confident the operation will not affect his football career. We all sincerely hope that is the case and that George is soon back at the academy displaying his undoubted football talent”.