FORMER York City centre-back Ray Warburton is gutted to be missing out on a big-match return to Bootham Crescent.

The Rushden and Diamonds' defensive lynchpin underwent an operation on his groin last week which will rule him out of action for up to four months, starting with tomorrow's Division Three opener against York City.

The 33-year-old club captain suffered the injury playing against Boston in Rushden's successful Conference campaign last season, but he battled on through the pain until he suffered cracked ribs with three games to go.

After attempting to come back in pre-season, the problem only got worse and he decided enough was enough.

"The injury will be fine and it feels great already," said Ray, pictured right, celebrating an FA Cup strike against Sheffield United.

"But I just feel sick to be missing out on our first game in the Football League at my old club York.

"I thought the injury was going to heal up but it did not. It was ridiculous needing to have tablets just to be able to train. It was mentally hard to get through a training session and after playing 45 minutes of a pre-season game I could hardly move."

The defender played 90 games for City in just over four seasons, scoring nine goals, before moving to Northampton in 1993-94.

He played more than 160 games for the Cobblers before switching to nearby Rushden in 1998 and leading them into the Football League for the first time.

Updated: 11:51 Friday, August 10, 2001