Out of luck Carr explains late return

STEPHEN CARR has admitted his overdue return from a hernia operation has left fans baffled - but the Newcastle full-back hopes his injury problems are now behind him.

Carr had surgery on a hernia in November at the same time as Alan Shearer - but while the Newcastle captain was back playing by the end of the month, Carr picked up a muscle problem.

There were even suggestions he had fallen out with manager Graeme Souness. But after missing 12 games, Carr returned against Mansfield on Saturday.

Carr said: “The injury has been a nightmare. I had the hernia op and felt good after that. But then I tore a muscle on my right side, so that was a killer for me. That was harder to heal than the hernia.

“The fans were probably thinking ‘It’s only a hernia, why’s he still out?’, but it was a problem on top of that has set me back.

“Last season I had the knee problem. I’m hoping that’s the end of my bad luck, fingers crossed. I hope the problems are behind me now.”