STEVE Cotterill fears that Wayne Thomas may yet need knee surgery to rectify his troublesome cruciate injury.

Defender Thomas, 26, is back in training after surgeons decided not to operate on the knee he damaged in a fall with Glen Little at Reading back in August, just seven games into his Burnley career.

However, the former Stoke City defender is still suffering twinges that is hampering his recovery. And concerned Clarets boss Cotterill believes a decision will have to be made soon regarding Thomas's immediate footballing future.

He revealed: "Wayne keeps having a few little problems with his knee, so we are keeping a close eye on him.

"We don't know whether that's because he is rehabilitating or not, but he keeps getting a couple of tweaks that keep him out of action for a day or two so we have to monitor that one closely over the next couple of weeks.

"They don't cause the physio too much concern, but I am a little more guarded and they bother me a little."

Cotterill, who wants to re-sign Keith Lowe on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers as cover once January's transfer window opens, added: "I would never rush Wayne back, but I don't know what we do at the moment.

"Whether we get him back to see another specialist next week and revise the situation, I don't know.

"If it was me, I would rather he'd had the cruciate reconstructed when he came out of the braces. But two surgeons haven't wanted do to do that and we can't make them.

"We just have to wait and see how he goes, but we can't leave it too long before something is done. Either he is fit, or we try to force someone into doing something."