MIKE Whitlow's latest setback in a succession of injury blows has cost him a place in Wanderers' promotion push.

The popular club captain and highly-experienced defender has been ruled out for the rest of the season while he recovers from surgery on a torn muscle in his abdomen.

"Mike's rehab takes him into mid to late April so that effectively means we can't consider him for the rest of the season," Sam Allardyce confirmed today.

Whitlow has had an horrific spell with injuries, after kicking off in August with a three-match ban carried over from last season. He pulled up with a groin strain at Grimsby in September in only his fourth game back then, after a four-month lay-off, suffered his latest injury in the 3-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday in January.