BIRMINGHAM City goal-keeper Nico Vaesen will be out of action for the rest of the season after suffering damaged knee ligaments in the Second City derby success over Aston Villa last night.

Vaesen had climbed off his sick bed after suffering from a bout of tonsillitis to play in the Villa Park encounter. But with barely two minutes remaining the Belgian's leg became caught in the Villa Park turf, after he had cleared a back pass upfield, with disastrous consequences.

Blues' manager Steve Bruce confirmed: "We believe that Nico has got a serious, serious knee ligament problem and he was taken to hospital straight after the game.

"We hope that he will be OK but we think that he is going to be out for the remainder of the season which is tough on him and a sickening thing for us."