Jamilu Collins: Cardiff City defender to miss rest of season with knee injury

Jamilu Collins had to be helped off the pitch at the Hawthorns just five minutes into the game

Cardiff City have been dealt a huge blow with defender Jamilu Collins ruled out for the rest of the season.

The Nigerian international suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury early in Wednesday's goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion.

The 28-year-old left-back will have surgery in the next few weeks.

"We won't see him again until next season. It is gutting for the lad, really gutting," said Cardiff manager Steve Morison.

"We are all here for him. We are going to make the next year the best it can possibly be for him.

"It's the worst-case scenario. The plan will be to get him back for pre-season next year. The one thing we do know when he comes back for pre-season, we will have one hell of a left-back.

"That is something everyone can look forward to next season."

Morison has described Collins as the "best left-back" in the Championship having recruited him from Bundesliga 2 side Paderborn during the summer.

Collins played for his country in the Africa Cup of Nations in January, where his team-mates included Alex Iwobe and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Morison said: "On a plus point for him, his family has just moved over and so he has his family with him.

"The lads will get around him. He will be around - I'm sure you'll see his smiling face around the place. We have something extra to fight for now on a matchday.

"He is a great kid who comes in with a smile on his face every day. He loved working every day with us and we loved working with him. He is someone you want around. He is infectious.

"As soon as he has his operation and he's starting to be a bit more mobile, he will be around the lads."

Republic of Ireland Under-21 defender Joel Bagan is set to step in for Collins in Sunday's Severnside Championship derby at Bristol City.

It will be Bagan's first league appearance this season and Morison said: "He has not had much of a choice.

"JC (Collins) has been outstanding. You have to wait for your opportunity and now he has to be ready to step up in a huge game on Sunday.

"I think it would have been wrong for us to have sat here this season and said we were going to rely on Joel to play left-back all season. You have to have a squad for situations like this."

Cardiff will be boosted at Ashton Gate by the return of Cedric Kipre, the West Bromwich Albion loanee who was ineligible to face his parent club in midweek.