Tommy Fraser is facing a battle to be fit for Port Vale`s opening game of the season at Bury. The Vale captain is nursing a badly bruised shin picked up during pre-season and could well be forced to make his return in Tuesday`s Carling Cup tie at Championship side QPR. Winger Lewis Haldane will definitely miss out having contracted blood poisoning following an infected insect bite to an ankle, ruling him out for a further couple of weeks. Defender Ritchie Sutton will also miss the first six games of the new season due to a suspension which carries over from last term. Sutton saw red for former club Nantwich in the final game of 2009/10 - his fourth dismissal of the campaign - and he will not be eligible to play until mid-September. Summer signing Justin Richards is expected to line up alongside the prolific Marc Richards in attack, forming a partnership which could potentially strike gold in the fourth tier this term.
Source: PA
Source: PA