Darlington received devastating injury news yesterday when captain Craig Liddle was told a shin break will keep him out of action for at least three months, and possibly for the remainder of the season.

But the blow was softened when Danny Mellanby was given a contrasting diagnosis - he has damaged medial ligaments and not cruciate ligaments which had earlier been feared - and as result may only be missing for a matter of weeks.

Immediately after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Hull the club thought Mellanby, who visits a specialist for further examination today, could be facing months out of action, while Liddle was expected to be missing for just a few weeks.

Liddle's loss is a huge blow as the defensive linchpin has been a rock at the heart of defence since joining from Middlesbrough in 1998, and the four matches he's missed in the last three years have been through suspension.

"I'm devastated," said the 30-year-old who tried to shake off the injury after he'd landed badly during a second half challenge against Hull. "I thought I could run it off because I thought it was my ankle ligaments.

"I've had a bit of a problem with my foot for a while and I've been playing when maybe I should've had a rest, and I just thought it was them. "I was in so much pain on Sunday morning I had to go to the hospital and they told me I'd broken my right tibia.

"It will be at least three month before I'll be jogging but I go back on Monday and they might put a pin in. If they do, I doubt I'll play again this season."

A restless Liddle said last night: "It's in a cast so I'm going to have a lot of spare time on my hands. I'm sat here with the remote control in my hand watching TV but I think my little boy will more than keep me busy.

"He was gutted on Saturday when he saw me come off, my wife had to take him out of the stands because he was in tears."

With new boss Tommy Taylor looking still easing his way into the managers' chair, the injury couldn't have come at a worse time for Liddle.

"I've had a chat with him this morning and the lads are going to enjoy working with him," said Liddle.

Meanwhile, any Darlington fans making the trip to watch Quakers at Scunthorpe United in the LDV Vans Trophy tonight (7.30pm) must pay £13.

Concessionary prices are £6.50 while Under-16s enter free if accompanied by an adult.

l PR Director Luke Raine last night branded rumours Quakers had agreed a fee of £250,000 for Sunderland forward Michael Reddy as "silly". Darlington's reserves won 1-0 at Stoke yesterday with Paul Campbell scoring his fourth goal in the last three second-string games