RISING star Adnan Ahmed has agreed a new Town contract.
But on the day the 21-year-old put pen to paper on two-year terms, boss Peter Jackson revealed another of his young midfielders, skipper Jon Worthington, is out for the remainder of the season.
While Town take on Colchester at the Galpharm on Saturday aiming to keep alive their outside chance of making the League I play-offs, Worthington will be undergoing surgery on his right knee.
He damaged the joint during a training session earlier this week.
"It's great news on Adnan but a big disappointment on Jon," said Jackson, who watched Town Reserves keep their Pontin's Holiday League Division I East promotion bid on track with a ninth straight win, 3-1 at home to Doncaster, yesterday.
"Adnan came in to see me around Christmas time, and I told him he wasn't far off but that he needed to be patient," said Jackson.
"He did just that, continued to work hard in training and is now reaping the rewards."
Lancastrian Ahmed, who made one appearance last season, is in line to play his 17th game this time around, and 15th since mid-January, when Colchester visit.
"Adnan had a little blip down at Peterborough, but other than that, he has improved match by match," added Jackson, whose side slipped to ninth in League I as a result of Bristol City's goalless draw at Swindon last night.
Goalkeepers Paul Rachubka and Phil Senior are both back in training after treatment on back and leg injuries respectively.
