Gethin Jones will not be available for Bolton Wanderers' trip to Gillingham this weekend owing to the death of his mother Karen and Ian Evatt has said the defender will be given as much time as he needs to process the awful news.
Karen, 56, passed away last weekend after losing her battle with motor neurone disease (MND) after being diagnosed last summer with the illness, for which there is currently not a cure.
Karen, a much-loved former midwife, leaves behind Wanderers vice-captain and sons Gethin and Dylan, daughter Ela and husband Gareth.
READ MORE: 'Heartfelt sympathies' - Tributes after Karen Jones, mother of Bolton defender Gethin, dies aged 56
Wanderers travel to Priestfield this Saturday aiming for three points against the Gills, but Evatt has confirmed that Jones will not be considered for selection and will be given all the time he needs to grieve after his mother's passing before returning to selection.
Evatt said: "Awful news. I’ve said this a few times since I’ve been here, once one of us is hurting we’re all hurting. It’s an absolute tragedy for him and his family. She was a wonderful woman.
"The whole Bolton Wanderers family are very sad and obviously our condolences go to him, his dad Gareth and the rest of the family.
"It’s hugely difficult. It gives you a sense of perspective with everything that’s gone on in the world really this past week. We’re all very, very sad and Gethin will obviously be missing on Saturday.
"We’re going to give him as much time as he needs. Some things are bigger than football and we’re all here to support him."
Defender Adam Senior is being recalled from his loan spell at Chorley to cover the gap left by Jones' absence, while attacker Elias Kachunga is closing in on a return to action after coming through a training session today.
Kachunga has been out of action since the start of January due to a thigh problem and though the trip to Priestfield will probably come too soon for the ex-Sheffield Wednesday man, he will be back soon.
Evatt said: "Kacha has trained fully for the first time today, so he’s back now. Saturday is probably going to be too soon for him but it’s another body and another option. He trained really well this morning.
"Everyone else is okay and ready to go. It’s just Gethin missing and we will recall Adam Senior for some more defensive cover on the basis that we’re not going to put Gethin under any type of pressure to come back to work.
“Adam will stay with us for the rest of the season. We’ve made the decision that he’ll come back and the benefit is he’ll be back with us training day-to-day.”
