Dunfermline talisman Dom Thomas is set to be sidelined until February following knee surgery.
The 25-year-old went under the knife on Monday to repair a tear to his meniscus cartilage.
East End Park boss John Hughes revealed that the damage was slightly more severe than the club initially expected.
Nevertheless, he is hopeful Thomas could be back in action within six weeks — albeit the player himself is determined to shave a fortnight off that timeline.
Hughes explained: “Dom had his operation on Monday. I spoke to the physio on Wednesday morning and the timeframe was roughly six weeks.
🔥 Just Dom Thomas things, as the Pars grab their 1⃣st win of the season!#cinchChamp | @officialdafc pic.twitter.com/k5TAxnIFEn
— SPFL (@spfl) November 15, 2021
“Dom is already telling him three or four weeks, though!
“He’s a positive boy but he just needs to rest up for the next few days before we get him in.
“Then we’ll start working with the physios.
“When the surgeon went in, it was a little bit worse than what we initially thought. The tear was more complicated — so he needed to get that fixed.”
‘A great influence’
While Thomas’ influence on the pitch will be sorely missed, his infectious personality around the club persists.
He will remains a key figure around the group and has made a point of attending every Dunfermline game — including those on the road — during his absence.
Hughes continued: “That’s one thing about Dom: he is always around the boys and is a great influence.
“He was even down at Kilmarnock last Saturday.
“Dom might be on crutches — and the physio will be telling him to calm down — but he is at every game supporting the lads. He wants his teammates to do well.
“We wish Dom a speedy recovery, but it is important that he properly rehabs. There’s no reason for him to rush back.
“Hopefully, we pick up results and ensure that he is coming back into a winning team.”
