Elliott Hewitt could have played his last game for Notts County.
Magpies boss Neal Ardley has confirmed the 24-year-old midfielder will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury that has kept him sidelined since the start of February.
And he's out of contract at Meadow Lane at the end of the campaign, having signed a two-year contract in 2017, so could leave the club in the summer.
Hewitt has been ruled out of the final five games of the season after a fresh assessment of his knee.
And while Ardley admits his absence is a blow for Notts in their battle to avoid relegation out of the Football League, he is pleased the latest tests show Hewitt does not need surgery.
"The injury is repairing itself which was always the best option, so that limits the time he will be out," he said.
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"It's still something that will creep into the summer, but for Elliott it's great news that he hasn't got to go under the knife.
"We're really happy and so is he."
Having already been forced to watch his teammates scrap for survival during the last two months, Hewitt will now continue to be in the stands as the Magpies try to lift themselves off the bottom of League Two and out of the relegation zone in their final five games, against Crewe, MK Dons, Crawley, Grimsby Town and Swindon Town.
"Having Elliott would have given us loads of different options," added Ardley.
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"Toots (Matt Tootle) has come back in and done great, we've moved Mitch (Rose) into midfield, and (David) Vaughan is very unlucky not to be in the team. He trains superbly and he's one of the most intelligent players I've seen.
"Unfortunately for him, we've got three midfielders playing well.
"So we've got good options and having Elliott there would have given us more, with the run-in and the games coming thick and fast, but it's not to be and we hope he does all he needs to get himself back fit."
