Burnley midfielder Chris McCann has today undergone knee surgery and will be ruled out of action for a minimum of six months.
McCann, who missed a large chunk of last season after suffering two knee injuries, suffered a fresh setback during the Clarets pre-season tour of Singapore.
And following a fresh diagnosis, the Irish midfielder went under the knife this morning for a full, reconstructive operation.
Speaking exclusively to Clarets Player, despondent Burnley manager Brian Laws explained: "Chris needs a full reconstruction of the cruciate ligament.
"It is devastating news, not only for the football club but particularly for a player who has had a dreadful time trying to overcome anterior cruciate damage from over a year ago.
"Chris has had niggles consistently over a period of time and it got to a point where we needed a second opinion
"Unfortunately, that opinion is that he needs a full reconstruction and that we are now going to lose him for a minimum of six months.
"We must make sure it's clear to everyone that this is not career threatening and the plus is that he will make a full recovery and eventually be 100 per cent right and not looking at percentages on whether he will be fit or not."
McCann, who has started over 150 games for the Clarets since coming through the club's youth system, appeared in just seven Premier League games last season.
He first injured his knee playing against Sunderland at Turf Moor in September, returning at Bolton in January after several months of rehabilitation.
However, an injury to the same knee sustained in that game meant another spell on the sidelines and, ultimately an operation to repair a cartilage.
Just four weeks after going under the knife, McCann made his long-awaited return for the Reserve team in April's clash with Manchester United at Turf Moor.
McCann celebrates his 23rd birthday in Singapore last month
Laws, who had been braced for the worst possible news, added: "In hindsight, which is a wonderful thing, the direction taken in the first place on the original injury was sceptical.
"Many surgeons don't really want to go down the intrusion line unless it is absolutely necessary.
"They were hoping the ligament would reattach itself in normal circumstance and let the body do the recovery.
"Unfortunately, for Chris, the ligament has not attached where it should and that has left the knee fairly unstable, hence the breakdowns.
"Twelve months of Chris's career have been missing, but hopefully he will make that up in the not too distant future."
A full five-minute interview with Brian Laws, discussing the injury setback in further detail, can be heard EXCLUSIVELY later this afternoon on our special midweek magazine show, BFCTV on Player.
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