KEVIN Watson's worst fears have been realised. His season is over, and his days at Colchester United look numbered.The U's experienced midfielder dreaded the results of yesterday's ultra-sound scan, after feeling his calf “pop” during a truncated training session on Tuesday.

Carl Marston

KEVIN Watson's worst fears have been realised. His season is over, and his days at Colchester United look numbered.

The U's experienced midfielder dreaded the results of yesterday's ultra-sound scan, after feeling his calf “pop” during a truncated training session on Tuesday.

Watson has only played seven games this season, because of a nightmarish run of injuries, and he will not add to that tally. His contract expires this summer, and the odds are against him still being a Colchester player next season.

“I feared the worst, but I'm still gutted to find out the extent of the injury,” revealed Watson.

“It's a grade two tear to my calf, and there are only three levels - the third is a rupture. That means my season is over.

“I had half-prepared myself for this news, but it's still disappointing to hear it ring true. I saw it on the ultra-scan, and the damaged area is big.

“I haven't felt right all season, and at least I now know that it hasn't just all been in my mind. I haven't felt fit, and it will be at least four or five weeks before I can think about training again. Then there's the whole process of trying to get match-fit, so it's not really doable,” added Watson.

Ex-Tottenham trainee Watson, who celebrated his 34th birthday at the start of the year, has only made one appearance for United in 2008. And he never looked comfortable during that brief return, in the 1-0 home defeat by Wolves on March 1.

His presence has certainly been missed in central midfield throughout the course of the season, and it's been doubly frustrating for him to watch from the sidelines while the team have struggled on the pitch.

The U's are cast adrift at the bottom of the Championship, six points behind second-from-bottom Scunthorpe and 10 points adrift of safety.

They have just nine games left, starting with tomorrow's home match against Cardiff City. Relegation looks a certainty, which isn't the way that Watson would have wanted his Colchester career to end.

In fact, it would be the first time that the former Swindon, Rotherham and Reading stalwart had ever suffered the anguish of relegation during his 17 years as a professional.

Watson continued: “I admit that it's looking pretty grim. But we have an honest set of players, and an honest manager, and he won't be giving up.

“Although my season is over, I'm still looking towards getting back in time for next season. Whether that will be with Colchester, or another club, I don't know as yet.”

Meanwhile, centre-half Chris Coyne will be sidelined for a fortnight, after tweaking his hamstring during the first half of Tuesday night's 2-1 home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday.