CHARLTON have confirmed that striker Izale McLeod will not play again this season after damaging cruciate knee ligaments while playing on loan for Colchester against Plymouth in midweek.

"He's not had the best of seasons and now he's suffered this serious injury," said manager Alan Pardew.

"We think he'll be back within six or seven months thanks to the medical advances made in treating the injury.

"This type of injury is not as bad as it was say 10 years ago when surgeons wouldn't let you train for nine months.

"However, it's still a blow and it's the second of its kind we've suffered after Svetoslav Todorov sustained the same injury against Plymouth in October."

By concidence that injury arose from a tackle by Plymouth centre-back Kriztian Timar, whose challenge also resulted in McLeod being carried off.

Pardew confirmed: "The same player was involved in both injuries, which is bizarre."