Widnes Vikings’ Scottish international Lee Paterson having major knee surgery

9:20am Wednesday 26th November 2008

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WIDNES Vikings’ Scottish international Lee Paterson was due to have major knee surgery today (Wednesday) and is likely to be out of action for the next six months.

The 27-year-old back-rower sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage while on World Cup duty in Australia – the injury forcing him to return home early from the tournament.

Widnes are hopeful that the versatile Paterson will be up and running by April - a month into the newly-named Co-Operative Championship season.

Meanwhile Vikings’ other World Cup players - John Duffy, Iain Morrison and Lee Doran - will resume training next week. The first team squad have been back in pre-season training under assistant coach John Stankevitch for the past three weeks.

VIKINGS will officially unveil their 2009 home and away kits to fans at a special evening at the Stobart Stadium, on Tuesday, December 9.

The event will include a fashion show where players and the Stobart Dancers will model both the new kit and a range of O’Neill’s merchandise.

Also on the night head coach Steve McCormack will announce the 2009 squad numbers and there will be an opportunity for fans to meet the new line-up and take part in a question-and-answer session.

The fashion show will start at 8pm, but prior to that the 1993 Challenge Cup Semi-Final between Widnes and Leeds will be shown on the big screen.

Admission is £3 with all proceeds going to charity. Tickets will be available from the Stobart Stadium reception from tomorrow during normal office hours on a first come-first served basis.

A NEW youth performance system, which aims to transform talented local youngsters into international standard players, has been launched by Widnes.

Vikings' Head of Youth Performance, Stuart Wilkinson, who joined the club in February, has already established training opportunities and career pathways which aim to capture promising players at an early age and then provide them with top rugby coaching facilities and nurture them as all-round athletes.

This physical training is also being complemented by partnerships with Bankfield School, Riverside College and Edge Hill University, providing aspiring first team players with knowledge and qualifications which will equip them for life.

Stuart said: “We want to nurture our talented youngsters to create focused, robust, all-round athletes who remain committed to their local team until they are eligible to become first team players at the age of 18 or 19.

"We want to retain these children by offering them a performance pathway that is the best in the country. Our aim is to create an open, inclusive, safe environment so young people can grow with confidence."

WIDNES Vikings will be the talk of the city in 2009 as they join forces with Liverpool radio station, City Talk 105.9 The club has signed a one-year deal with the radio station and will work in partnership with them to advertise and promote the Vikings across Merseyside, the North West and North Wales