SOUTHEND United midfielder Anthony Wordsworth will need an operation to cure a hamstring injury.

Wordsworth missed Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town and will also be forced to miss the rest of the season.

But Blues boss Phil Brown is hopeful the midfielder will be fully fit for the start of the next campaign.

“We’ve been told that Woody will need to have an operation on his hamstring if he’s going to be fully fit for the start of next season so that’s what’s going to happen,” said Brown.

“He’s going to miss the rest of this season which is obviously a blow but he’ll be right behind the lads for the remaining games and hopefully by the time he comes back we’ll be getting ready for the Championship.”

Wordsworth - who has bagged 12 goals this season - missed the first two months of the current campaign after undergoing surgery on his hamstring.

But Brown does not expect the same to happen this summer.

“We’ve decided on the operation much sooner this time,” said the Shrimpers chief.

“We’re hoping he’ll be fit for the start of pre-season training at the beginning of July but we’re going to have to try and replace that creativity he brings to the team for the rest of the season.”

Michael Timlin started in midfield alongside Ryan Leonard at Shrewsbury.