Boro's O'Neil to miss rest of season after knee surgery
Thursday, 17 Apr 2008 14:22
Gary O'Neil ruled out for rest of season after knee surgery
Middlesbrough midfielder Gary O'Neil has been ruled out for the rest of this season after he underwent knee surgery yesterday.
The 24-year-old was injured in Boro's 1-1 draw with
Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last weekend, which has virtually secured the Teessiders' Premier League safety this season.
However, O'Neil's absence is a blow for Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate, who has spoken of the player's good form throughout the season since his £5 million move from
Portsmouth last summer.
The head of the club's medical department Grant Downie said O'Neil had gone under the knife yesterday to repair his lateral knee ligament.
And despite fears he could be ruled out for several months due to the lengthy rehabilitation programme involved with this type of problem, Downie said he fully expects the former England under-21 captain to be fit for the start of next season.
"The surgeon is happy that everything went well," he told the club's official website.
"It was a routine operation and Gary is expected to be available for preseason training in the summer."
Despite playing 32 matches for the Riverside outfit since his deadline-day move last August, O'Neil is yet to open his goalscoring account.