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Campbell may miss 'big chunk' of next season - Bruce

Fraizer Campbell has been sidelined since August © PA Photos

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Steve Bruce fears Fraizer Campbell could miss a "big chunk of next season" if he needs a second operation on his knee.

On Thursday, Bruce revealed the young striker is unlikely to return to action this season as he prepares to go under the knife for a second time.

However, Sunderland are now preparing themselves for the worst, with Bruce admitting the 23-year-old could feasibly miss a large portion of the 2011/12 campaign should the surgeon discover extensive damage in the knee when he performs an exploratory operation.

Bruce said: "We do fear for him. We think the surgeon needs to go and have a look inside his knee again and if it does need repairing again, then Fraizer is going to miss a big, big chunk of next season as well, which is an even worse blow for us and more importantly, for the kid."

Campbell had surgery after damaging cruciate ligaments against Manchester City in August. He was preparing to make his long-awaited return against the same opponents earlier this month but a setback in training put paid to that.

"Nobody could have done his rehabilitation better than he did, but he fell over and twisted it on the Friday before we played Manchester City," said Bruce.

"The way it's going for us at the moment, we do fear that the boy might need another operation, and that could rule him out for the best part of next season as well."

Meanwhile, defender Titus Bramble has also been told he is unlikely to play again this season.

Bramble, 29, has revealed he does not need an operation to repair the knee cartilage damage which has sidelined him for the last two games.

However, Bruce revealed earlier on Friday that he was unlikely to have Bramble at his disposal over the final six games of the campaign, and the player himself then confirmed that via his Twitter account.

He said: "Just been told that I'm unlikely to play again this season. I don't need an operation, so that's a bonus. Will work hard and make sure I'm right for the start of next season."

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