BURNLEY midfielder Chris McCann has been ruled out for at least six months, after undergoing knee surgery this morning.

The 23-year-old, who was ruled out for most of last season with two separate knee injuries, has had a full reconstruction of the cruciate he damaged last year.

McCann has been undergoing treatment since suffering a knock during the Clarets' pre-season tour of Singapore, and following a fresh diagnosis of the problem, manager Brian Laws admitted it was the worst case scenario.

“It is devastating news, not only for the football club but particularly for a player who has had a dreadful time trying to overcome anterior cruciate damage from over a year ago," said the Burnley boss, who was adament the injury wasn't career-threatening.

“We must make sure it’s clear to everyone that this is not career threatening and the plus is that he will make a full recovery and eventually be 100 per cent right and not looking at percentages on whether he will be fit or not.

"Chris has had niggles consistently over a period of time and it got to a point where we needed a second opinion.

“Unfortunately, that opinion is that he needs a full reconstruction and that we are now going to lose him for a minimum of six months."

McCann, who came through the club's youth ranks, has started over 150 games for the Clarets but played in only seven Premier League games in an injury-ravaged season.

He first suffered cruciate damage in a home game against Sunderlad in September. After the ligament re-attached itself, he returned to start against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok in January, but broke down again with a secondary knee problem.

Following surgery, the Dubliner made his comeback in a reserve team home game against Manchester United in April, and worked hard over the summer to reach full fitness. But he didn't get beyond the third pre-season friendly.

Laws added: “In hindsight, which is a wonderful thing, the direction taken in the first place on the original injury was sceptical.

“Many surgeons don’t really want to go down the intrusion line unless it is absolutely necessary.

“They were hoping the ligament would reattach itself in normal circumstances and let the body do the recovery.

“Unfortunately, for Chris, the ligament has not attached where it should and that has left the knee fairly unstable, hence the breakdowns.

“Twelve months of Chris’s career have been missing, but hopefully he will make that up in the not too distant future.”