Darren Carter is coming to terms with the ‘worst injury of my career, at the worst possible time’.

And the surgery that Carter had this week to repair a severe groin tear has all but put paid to his dream of re-signing for Birmingham City.

Carter, the 2002 play-off final penalty shoot-out hero, had been training with Blues since August.

A free agent since leaving Preston North End, he had been hoping to earn a contract.

Carter stuck around when others on trial came and went, probably letting his heart rule his head because it was his beloved Blues.

Chris Hughton was happy to have the 27-year-old at Wast Hills but was unable to commit to a contract.

So in October, Carter spent a week at Brighton & Hove Albion and scored for their reserves, but Gus Poyet told him that although impressed, he was after a different, more bruising type of midfielder.

Then Nottingham Forest took a look and just before half-time in a reserves game, disaster struck.

“It was a freak thing,” Carter told the Birmingham Mail. “I went to intercept a ball, my right let got caught slightly and straight away I knew I had torn something.

“I couldn’t run after that. It was devastating, the worst injury of my career, at the worst possible time.

“It’s going to be about three months before I’m back. I’ve had the operation, and everything is fine, but I’m starting all over again now.”

Carter has had to dip into his savings with no salary since July.