On-loan Saints full-back Ryan Dickson looks to have played his last match for Bradford City after learning he requires ankle surgery.

The 26-year-old visited a specialist on Monday and was advised to go under the knife as soon as possible, with the predicted recovery time potentially in the region of six months.

Dickson joined the Bantams last month and made six appearances. He is the second City left-back to be ruled out long-term since the turn of the year after James Meredith was struck down with a bout of glandular fever.

Dickson now faces an uncertain funture as he is out of contract at St Mary’s this summer.