McPhail goes under knife

Cardiff midfielder Stephen McPhail has undergone a thigh operation which will rule him out for up to three months.

McPhail, whose form upon his recent return to boss Dave Jones` starting XI had played a big part in Cardiff`s six-match unbeaten run, sustained the injury during the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at the start of the month.

Initial scans had suggested he would be out for six to eight weeks but a specialist on Friday deemed the problem to be more serious than first suggested.

Jones told the club`s official website: "The specialist decided on an operation to re-attach the thigh muscle to the bone. It`s bad news about Stevie and he`s a big loss because he`s won the fans over again. We`ll miss his creativity."