The recovery time frame for Rotherham United's Shane Ferguson after more surgery

SHANE Ferguson is facing more weeks on the sidelines after undergoing a second operation in a bid to cure the groin issues that have plagued him since last season.  

The Rotherham United winger last week flew to Germany to see a world-leading consultant and she immediately decided more surgery was required.

“There was another hernia, which has been fixed,” said manager Matt Taylor. “There was also a ‘body’ that needed removing and a little bit of the nerve has been taken away.”

Ferguson hasn't played since the survival-sealing Championship win over Middlesbrough on May 1.

Although they will be without the services of a proven performer for a while, the Millers are actually pleased the 32-year-old needed an op as they had feared the specialist might not find a reason for the player's persistent discomfort.

“It's positive because she could identify the problems,” Taylor said.

Ferguson is now back at the club's training base at Roundwood as he begins his rehabilitation.

“He's had open surgery not keyhole surgery so in terms of time frame it's not going to be as short a job as we'd been hoping,” Taylor said.

“It'll be several weeks before we see him playing again but he should make a full recovery.”

The Millers exercised a 12-month extension clause in the former Millwall man’s contract in the summer.