Vale starlet's injury woe

Brown suffered the injury in last week's 3-2 defeat at Queens Park Rangers when he received a blow to his face.

The young defender has only recently returned to the Vale team after four months out of the picture and this is a setback for the 18-year-old.

The Second Division side have been waiting for the swelling to die down before learning the full extent of the injury.

Vale manager Martin Foyle will now have to do without Brown for the remainder of the campaign after scans confirmed a fracture to his eye socket.

"We took Ryan to see a facial specialist last week but there was still plenty of swelling around the eye and we were forced to wait until it had gone down to an extent where he was able to undergo the scans," Vale physio Andy Jackson told the club's website.

"We now have the results of the CT scans from the specialists and I am afraid it is bad news for the player and for the club as he will take no further part this season.

"It has caused a blow-out fracture of the eye socket and it's a real blow for him."