Ritchie Humphreys has admitted his disappointment after he was told by a specialist that he would miss the opening game of the new season due to an Achilles problem.
The Club skipper has played a mammoth 411 times since his move to The Vic in the summer of 2001 and sits 5th in the list of all-time appearance-makers for the Club.
He is famed for his hard work on the training ground which helped him play an incredible 234 league games in succession following his arrival at Pools, a run which ended in 2006 when he was left on the bench for a game at Hereford.
Humphreys had been playing through the pain barrier towards the end of last season but it was felt a course of treatment over the summer would help settle the problem down.
However, after starting the game against SC Cambuur last Wednesday he suffered more pain in the Achilles and a trip to the specialist confirmed a new injury and at least three weeks on the sidelines, ruling him out of the opening day trip to MK Dons.
"I took medical advice at the end of last season and had some injections which can help aid the tendonitis problems I was having," Humphreys explained.
"First of all, it's going to be the first time I've not been available for a First Team game since I joined the Club.
"But in nine years I think you've got to expect that there'll be times when you're not going to be 100% fit.
"I think the closest I've come to not being available is when I got an elbow in the eye at Peterborough in October 2004 but I managed to play the game after that.
"I'm disappointed to be missing because it's the start of a new season and there is a lot of excitement around at the Club right now.
"But the specialist has told me I have to stay off it for three weeks so there is nothing I can do but follow the expert advice."
The 31-year-old is currently wearing an air cast boot on his left foot to relieve the pressure on the injury and will return to see the specialist in three weeks for a fresh verdict.
