Sam Smith faces lengthy Wrexham absence as knee injury awaits specialist assessment

Wrexham forward Sam Smith faces a prolonged spell out after suffering a knee injury in Friday's 1-0 Championship defeat at Sheffield United, manager Phil Parkinson has confirmed. According to BBC Sport, the 28-year-old was due to see a specialist on Tuesday to establish the extent of the damage and how long he would be unavailable.

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Parkinson said Smith had come off during the match at Bramall Lane before returning to continue playing. His knee then became badly swollen the following day. The manager described the expected absence as significant, but the assessment was still pending when he spoke. No precise recovery period was confirmed in the BBC report.

Surgery is one possibility, rather than a decision already taken. Parkinson said the club's initial view was that Smith could require an operation, with more information expected after the specialist appointment. That leaves both the treatment plan and the timetable for his return unresolved as Wrexham deal with another unavailable forward.

Smith's injury adds to existing problems in attack. Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead remain sidelined, while Callum O'Hare is a doubt after missing the Sheffield United defeat. The update comes before Wrexham host Championship leaders Middlesbrough on Wednesday, with kick-off scheduled for 19:45 GMT. Parkinson therefore has several attacking absences or fitness concerns to manage ahead of that fixture.

The manager identified Bailey Cadamarteri as a player who would receive more opportunities because of Smith's absence. The 21-year-old Jamaica international joined from Sheffield Wednesday in January and has yet to start a senior match for Wrexham. All five of his appearances this season have come as a substitute, leaving him with limited match involvement so far.

Parkinson said Cadamarteri had trained well and was ready for additional playing time. He presented the injuries as an opportunity for players outside the side to demonstrate their ability and said he was looking forward to seeing the youngster involved more. He did not confirm a starting role for Cadamarteri; the immediate commitment was to give him greater game time.