Coca-Cola Divisions: Shipperly set for long layoff

Crystal Palace striker Neil Shipperley needs an operation on a knee complaint and faces up to five months on the sidelines.

The 29-year-old hit-man has not played a single minute this term due to the injury.

His last appearance for the South Londoners came in the play-off final against West Ham in which he scored the winning goal.

Shipperley admits he has been troubled for the past two seasons by the problem, but feels it has deteriorated to such an extent that surgery is now unavoidable.

"I felt it all the way through and I wasn't comfortable with that, it's been very frustrating to say the least," he told the Croydon Guardian.

"I've had it bad for six months now, but I played the last couple of seasons with it when it wasn't a big thing, but it's started to get gradually worse and it has got to be sorted out."

It is believed that any operation to rectify the injury would see the former Chelsea striker sidelined for around five months.

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