The 22-year-old was just weeks away from returning from a knee injury but a new problem has now sidelined him until March.

McDaid has not played since dislocating his knee last April but his return was imminent following three weeks of training.

But then came a fresh killer blow, with McDaid's knee swelling up after training and the youngster subsequently needing surgery on his patella and cartilage.

He speaks with maturity about his fresh setback and the Harrogate-born youngster is determined to bounce back in the New Year.

Two operations should clear McDaid's knee nightmares once and for all, though the midfielder admits the new injury has hit him hard.


Speaking to Yorkshire Sport, McDaid said: "To be honest, when it happened I wasn't really in any pain or anything so I didn't think it was too bad. I thought it was just a little reaction and nothing too serious.

"The specialist then had a look inside my knee and obviously when I woke up and he told me, I was just devastated.

"You work that hard to get back and then for that to happen, I can't really explain it – I didn't know whether to start crying or what.

"It's obviously just gutting as this season is so important but, hopefully, when I get back they've told me it can't happen again so that's the one sort of positive.

"It won't happen again as I'm getting everything fixed with this operation so I won't have any more trouble. That's the one good thing about it."

McDaid knows his luck is out at present and says the fact that his new setback is a totally fresh injury merely adds to the frustration.

The former Leeds United youngster says he could have understood an exact recurrence of his previous problem but could not believe his bad fortune when he discovered this injury was different.