CHRISTIAN Moore admits he was rocked when surgeons told him to scrap plans for his full Worcester City debut this season.

The 31-year-old City striker undergoes an operation next Thursday after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligaments to his right knee, damage caused by an innocuous challenge during a reserve fixture against Kidderminster Harriers on September 6.

It means Moore, a summer purchase from the now defunct Telford United, will go through the entire 2004/05 campaign without starting a single competitive match.

He lost his match sharpness after being frozen out of the Shropshire club's starting line-up for much of last season and City manager John Barton demanded Moore in peak fitness before giving him the nod.

Despite appearing from the bench in City's opening Nationwide North game against Hinckley United, his preparations soon took a downward turn.

Moore jetted abroad to be best man at a friend's wedding, in the process missing fixtures against Barrow and Moor Green, and contracted salmonella poisoning on his return.

Just as the former Burton Albion and Forest Green striker seemed ready for first-team again, then came that tackle at St George's Lane.

Moore said: "I got my studs caught in the turf when the lad has come in to tackle me. It was not a kick or anything, just a tackle, but the impact went straight to my knee. It was very painful, I thought I had broken my leg.

"I half expected it to be a torn cartilage or something like that, not cruciate ligament damage. I was waiting for the results for quite a bit, there was a mix-up with the scan and the surgeon was on holiday.

"It's really frustrating because I've not played a game for Worcester. It's been a complete waste of a season for me and that's frustrating too for the manager and supporters.

"I have my operation next Thursday at the Nuffield Hospital in Derby. I won't be able to do any running for the next three months after the operation and I'll be on crutches for about ten days.

"As far as I'm concerned I'm now looking ahead to pre-season and setting a target of getting fit for next season. I'm confident of making a full recovery. The surgeon said there is over a 90 per cent chance of making a recovery. He told me I could be fit again for July."

It is the striker's first serious injury in his career and Moore has been dismayed at reports suggesting he was already injured when arriving at St George's Lane.

Moore added: "There has been a few reports that I was often injured at Telford United because I was getting on a bit and that I joined Worcester injured but that's completely untrue.

"In the past, I must have missed about eight to ten weeks due to injuries throughout my entire career.

"I was fully fit during my time at Telford and the reason I did not play much was that the manager Mick Jones did not see eye to eye with me."