The 19-year-old Scotsman damaged ankle ligaments during last month's 1-1 draw with Bolton at the DW Stadium and will be sidelined until the New Year. The Latics felt an operation would stop the injury flaring up again in the future and Martinez believes the decision will benefit the youngster in the long run. "It was to make sure the joint remains stable, which will allow his ankle to heal properly," Martinez told Wigan Today. "The main thing was to make sure it didn't become a chronic problem for him in the future. Ankles are joints that it's easy to not look after properly as you can get through matches. "But he's such a young man that, whatever happens in the next two or three months, we need to ensure he comes back stronger and better for the good of the rest of his career."
