SWINDON Town manager David Flitcroft says Dion Conroy will be given all the support he needs from the club to make a successful recovery after revealing the central defender would be out for the “long term” with a cruciate ligament knee injury.

Conroy picked up the seemingly innocuous problem during Town’s 3-2 home win over Stevenage last Saturday, limping off the field just before half-time.

Scans with specialists have since revealed the full extent of the injury and the 21-year-old will now be forced into a significant spell on the sidelines.

That leaves Town with just two recognised centre-backs in their squad in captain Olly Lancashire and Chris Robertson and Flitcroft says the club have already begun to look at bringing in a replacement on a free transfer.

First and foremost though, Flitcroft’s immediate concern is Conroy’s welfare, with the Town boss committed to assisting the defender in any way possible.

“We are not sure (how long). There are timelines on these things but as soon as a manager says it is six months or eight months, everyone holds you to that,” said Flitcroft.

“It is definitely long term and that’s how we are managing it.

“It’s a bit of an emotional one as it’s a young player who is trying to make his way in the game, understanding where he is and really putting some solid performances in and becoming a good defender.

“He was just absorbing the information, taking it on in and transferring his thoughts from a ball-playing centre-half into a defender that first and foremost thinks about defending.

“It was coming together for him and then something so innocuous can turn into a potentially long-term injury.

“At this time, we are just trying to support him as there is too much swelling for him to have his operation so they have not set an operation date yet.

“It is the mental side of things that you have got to get right in these situations.

“The rehabilitation will be done slowly and methodically to make sure we get it right but lots of players have come through this injury and come out the other side and that’s what we as a football club and I as a manager have got to make sure we do.

“We have got a fantastic group of players and staff here that will support Dion and he will need that support.

“We are going to have to get him to that point and when he comes out the other side of it I am sure he will be a different person for the experience.”

Flitcroft has started to sound out potential replacements to add some much-needed cover in the heart of defence, but with the transfer window now closed, Town are limited in who they can recruit.

The club had already begun to look at potential transfer targets once the window re-opens in the new year, but Conroy’s plight has accelerated their thinking.

“If we have got to shuffle the pack in January, we can, do but at the minute the only option allowed to us is lads that are free of contract,” said Flitcroft.

“There are not many out there and it’s a position that is always short on choices and options.

“We are looking, we are speaking to people currently. It’s something we have not got enough cover for so we are looking in that area.”