BEN Fox will miss most of the League One season after picking up an ACL injury at Matlock Town on Saturday.
The rupture is the same injury sustained by Liam Boyce two years ago in a pre-season fixture at Shrewsbury Town. The striker was out for six months before returning to first-team action.
When Fox went down at Matlock Nigel Clough feared the worst, which has now been confirmed by a scan.
The Brewers manager said: "It's a big blow losing Ben for seven or eight months. It's a big blow for him first of all and then for us as he was going to play a big role.
"The surgeon will have a look at him on Friday and then we will try and get him in before the end of the month. He will start on the road back from there.
"We knew when Liam did it and we knew on Saturday with Ben that it was something serious.
"Mentally and physically it is a big challenge for Ben. But he's a level headed lad and that will help and the changing room he has around him. Everybody, staff and players, will pull together and get him through.
"March is long way away but that's his target to try and get back on the pitch."