Play-off hero Neil Shipperley looks set to be ruled out of action for another five months after a worsening of his knee injury.
The Palace captain has not played a first-team game since scoring the winner against West Ham at the Millennium Stadium last season. He has been out since then because of an ever-worsening tendonitis problem in the knee.
Although Shipps managed the full 90 minutes in Palace’s recent reserve win over
"I felt it all the way through and I wasn't comfortable with that, it's been very frustrating to say the least,” Shipperley told the Croydon Guardian.
"I've had it bad for six months now, but I played the last couple of seasons with it when it wasn't a big thing, but it's started to get gradually worse and it has got to be sorted out."
Any operation would likely keep Shipperley from competitive football for four to five months.