Elgin City midfielder Brian Cameron could face a six-week injury absence with a knee injury.
Cameron will miss today’s Betfred Cup trip to Arbroath, after picking up the knock in Tuesday’s 4-3 pre-season friendly loss to Clachnacuddin at Grant Street Park.
City manager Gavin Price accepts he is likely to be without the influential 27-year-old for the opening weeks of the campaign, with a potential return towards the end of next month.
Price, who will also be without winger Conor O’Keefe, said: “Brian has done his knee and looks like he will be out for a period of time.
“It’s early stages yet, but it looks like it could be six weeks so it is a concern.
“It’s one of these injuries we cannot rush him back from.
“It is unfortunate, as we’ve just restored that combination with Shane Sutherland just in front of him.
“It’s a blow, but these things are going to happen. We have other players, such as Rory MacEwan, who can come in.”
Elgin were defeated 2-0 by Arbroath in the same competition last season, before falling to a spot-kicks loss in the IRN-BRU Cup in August.
Price is a huge admirer of the job Dick Campbell has done with the Gayfield outfit, who he steered to promotion to the Championship last season.
Price added: “What he has done to change that club around is quite exceptional – you cannot argue with it.
“Dick joined Arbroath when Jim Weir and I were in charge and they were second bottom of the division.
“We played against them back then and they haven’t changed their team dramatically.
“His philosophy works, with experienced professionals and a simple way of playing – football is not a complicated game.
“There are always little bits of advice to take off Dick for a younger manager like myself. I will be a sponge in learning from little things he says.
“I’m sure the players and myself will get something from playing against them.”
Price retains one eye on preparing for the opening League 2 fixture at home to Cowdenbeath on August 3, adding: “We have got to treat the League Cup as an extension of pre-season given the timescale is so tight.
“Our main focus is on August, and we are now ramping up the quality of opposition we have played against.
“It’s a big test for us in the next three or four games, in terms of how we are defensively set up. It will probably highlight areas we need to work on or improve upon.”
