DARLINGTON tomorrow renew acquaintance with Stalybridge Celtic, the team against which Tom Portas saw his season prematurely ended six months ago due to an ankle injury, and next week he finally goes under the knife to repair the problem.

Portas’ involvement in the September fixture, a 4-1 win at Heritage Park, came to an abrupt end when he was on the receiving end of a high tackle by Callum Bagshaw.

After undertaking a series of strengthening exercises, Quakers had hoped physiotherapy would see Portas return to action.

He even took part in the warm-up before Darlington’s match on Boxing Day at Blackwell Meadows, but his movement was limited and after seeking another medical opinion during the first week of January, Portas learned that surgery is necessary.

Bagshaw’s challenge, for which he received a caution from referee Kelvin Sarsfield, fractured Portas’ ankle and also tore ligaments.

“He’s been a big miss and maybe people have forgotten him a little,” said manager Martin Gray.

“He had made a big impact in the last couple of seasons, he gets goals from midfield and he would have played a lot of games for us if he had been available. He has the op next week and he’ll be back for pre-season.”

The operation is on Wednesday, by which time Darlington hope to have boosted their play-off hopes with a three-point haul against the second-bottom opposition.

Right-back Liam Marrs will return to the squad for Quakers having played once – an aborted comeback from an ankle knock – in the last nine matches.

Bagshaw, however, will not be involved as in January he dropped down a division to join Droylsden.