Kightly must undergo ankle op

Wolves winger Michael Kightly needs surgery on the troublesome ankle injury which has badly disrupted his season.The England under-21 man is hoping not to go under the knife until the summer but the key winger admits his hopes of playing again this season are hanging in the balance.

Kightly had an injection on the ankle earlier this week and should be back in light training next week with a view to a first team comeback in early March.

But he knows that if he breaks down in training once more before May he is likely to be forced into writing the season off - which would deal another big blow to Mick McCarthy's promotion plans.

Wolves have won just four of the 15 league games they've played since Kightly was forced off through injury at The Hawthorns in November.

"I've been told I've definitely got to have this bone shaving operation on my ankle at some point because this problem will come back if I don't.

"It could be in three months, four months or maybe not for a year but it will come back. So I'm going to have the operation at some point soon - hopefully not until the summer.

"I'm still quite confident that I can play again this season but it will all depend on how well the rehabilitation goes after this injection."

After such a long lay-off with injury, Kightly remains determined not to rush himself back from the ankle ligament damage that has ruined his campaign.

He intends to complete a fortnight's full training before putting himself up for selection this time.

"I had another injection on it this week and it already feels much better. I've been told to sit out a week but hopefully I'll be ready to go back into light training next week."

Wolves' hopes of FA Cup progress have been handed a boost with the news that Cardiff key man Joe Ledley has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.