Gillingham have confirmed midfielder Stuart O’Keefe will be out for the season.

The midfielder went to hospital on Tuesday night after a challenge in the first half of their Carabao Cup game against Coventry City. He’s been left with a broken leg and ligament damage.

Boss Steve Evans - who labelled the challenge that led to the injury as horrendous - has now ruled the 29-year-old out for the remainder of the campaign, just a week into the beginning of the delayed League 1 season.

It’s likely O’Keefe - named vice captain just a week ago - will undergo an operation next week.

The Gills moved quickly to help fill the void and have brought in Coventry CIty midfielder Josh Eccles , who played against the Gills in that midweek cup game. He joins on a season-long loan.

Gillingham are also without their captain Kyle Dempsey, after he sustained an ankle injury at the weekend, which rules him out for at least five to six weeks.

Read more on the Gills