Sidelined Darren Huckerby today admitted that he knew “after just two or three minutes” that he wouldn't get through City's Coca-Cola Championship match at Coventry.

Sidelined Darren Huckerby today admitted that he knew “after just two or three minutes” that he wouldn't get through City's Coca-Cola Championship match at Coventry.

Manager Nigel Worthington has suffered a major blow with the news that his star forward will be out for three to four weeks because of a torn groin muscle.

Huckerby was substituted four minutes into the second half of Saturday's 3-0 defeat at the Ricoh Arena and misses his first league match of the season tonight when the Canaries face Southend United at Roots Hall.

Worthington revealed yesterday that 30-year-old Huckerby had been carrying the injury for weeks, but had told him he was confident he would get through 90 minutes against his former club. The plan backfired.

“I knew I wouldn't get through the game because after just two or three minutes I was struggling, but I wanted to carry on,” said Huckerby.

“Sometimes your muscles are tight and the feeling just goes away during the match, but this one didn't seem to go away and we found out afterwards there was a little tear on one of the muscles.

“But it's not that bad. It's only a grade one or grade two tear so hopefully within three weeks I'll be back. But we have got some good players to come in too - the team isn't just about one person,” he told the club's official website.

“We have been playing really well and were very confident going into the game, but from the start I was struggling and my mind wasn't really on the match, it was on my groin muscle. Dickson Etuhu wasn't well either so I think it all played a part.”

Huckerby now faces his longest spell on the sidelines since signing for the Canaries on Boxing Day 2003.

Worthington said of the injury: “It's something that's been there for a few weeks and he aggravated it more on Saturday.

“He was very confident and he was desperate to play so we had a little chat about and we all decided to give it a go. Unfortunately it's not worked.

“I'd rather he'd have missed one game or two games than three or four but the situation is you want to get your best players on the pitch. The player wants to play so you're doing what you think is the right thing at the right time.

“At the end of the day you pretty much go with the player. If he says he's feeling pretty good, confident, you go with it. Sometimes you get through, sometimes you don't.

“He gave myself and the medical team every confidence that he was fine.”