Colin Todd believes crocked star Nathan Doyle has a Premiership future.

The City boss is gutted to be losing the hot prospect, who damaged his knee ligaments in the Doncaster game on Boxing Day.

But as Doyle faces up to a lengthy lay-off back at Derby, Todd gave him a glowing send-off from Valley Parade by predicting the youngster could go on and make it in the top flight.

"If Premiership clubs are looking for good youngsters, then there's one," said the City boss.

"He is so confident and mature for his age and has got an old head on him for someone so young.

"I said to the chairman from day one that we should have signed him and I wished we had. At the time we might have got him for next to nothing but now his value will have gone up a lot and rightly so."

The 19-year-old left Tuesday's game in a knee brace and was due to undergo a hospital scan yesterday to determine the extent of the damage.

But he is likely to be out for at least two months, with the fear of an even longer absence once the specialist has had a closer look.

Todd said: "It's more than disappointing for the lad and for us. He has come in here on loan and done remarkably well.

"I've never had any problem in terms of picking him because his level of consistency has been very high. I'm sure the supporters have recognised that.

"With Nathan having to go back, it obviously makes life that little bit more difficult for the football club.

"Whoever comes in for him now, whether it's Richard Edghill or John Swift, has got to look to follow the standard he has set.

"With the progress Nathan has made, I see a similar picture to Andrew Taylor last season. He played with us up to Christmas and went back straight into Middlesbrough's first team.

"Nathan would have been with us for the rest of this season but I can see him going into the Derby first team in August. It's just a shame that we won't be seeing him here.

"He will be a big miss for us - but that's not to say that the person coming in can't do a good job as well."

Edghill missed the Doncaster defeat with a stomach upset but Todd expects him to be fine for Saturday's home clash with Cheltenham.

But Lee Holmes (ankle) and Joe Colbeck (tonsillitis) are still struggling and Ben Muirhead sits out the final game of his suspension.