CHARLTON striker Chris Dickson will not play again this season after undergoing surgery for damaged cruciate knee ligaments.

The 23-year-old sustained the injury in a freak accident after slipping in a hotel reception area.

Manager Alan Pardew confirmed: "Chris has had an operation and for sure will not play again this season."

Dickson had recently broken into the Addicks’ first team squad and scored his first senior goal in the FA Cup replay defeat at West Bromwich Albion in January.

He remains Gillingham’s 11-goal top scorer after a successful spell on loan at Priestfield earlier in the season.

The Addicks signed Dickson from Ryman League Tooting and Mitcham for £35,000 in March last year. Now Pardew has turned again to the semi-professional game to recruit Tooting and Mitcham midfielder Dorian Smith.

"We’ve signed Dorian until the end of the season because he’s out of contract," said Pardew. "I want to have a good look at him and see if he’s good enough.

"We’ll probably loan him back because the manager of Tooting is a good friend of mine so nobody loses.

"In my time in management I can’t remember non-league players coming in and making such a big impact, such as Chris Dickson and Dorian.

"What this pair have got is a street football mentality. Technically they are very good and can do things which are not the norm.

"Dorian has great technical ability and I would say he’s as good a passer as anyone I’ve got at the club."

The Addicks boss confirmed he is willing to let defender Grant Basey and striker Izale McLeod go out on loan. League 2 Barnet have already expressed interest in taking McLeod.