SEEING Jamie Sendles-White stretchered off with a season-ending knee injury handed Luke Williams a harrowing flashback and the Swindon Town head coach will stand by his man as he embarks on the long road to recovery.

The 22-year-old defender, who was on the standby list for Northern Ireland’s world cup qualifier against the Czech Republic earlier this month, according to U21s manager Jim Magilton, was forced out of Town’s 2-1 loss to Bury at the County Ground seven days ago after challenging the Shakers’ Tom Pope.

Sendles-White will miss this afternoon’s trip to Oldham Athletic and most likely all of Swindon’s remaining outings this season after it was confirmed that he had ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.

County Ground chief Williams entered coaching at a young age after his playing career was wrecked by a devastating knee injury picked up during his time with Ashford Town – he spent three years attempting to repair the damage.

Former Queens Park Rangers man Sendles-White joined Town as a free agent in February and in May, signed a contract keeping him in Wiltshire until summer 2017.

The defender could conceivably have played his last game for Swindon but Williams has his fingers crossed that isn’t the case.

“I am devastated for him,” the Town chief told BBC Wiltshire.

“He is far more a robust athlete than myself so he will recover much more quickly than I did and it will be fine.

“I hope to see him again in a Swindon shirt playing football for us again.

“I think it is going to be a long journey but Jamie has spoken to the surgeon, he is very aware of what needs to happen and so on, and we will help him in every way that we can.

“Unfortunately, part of being a footballer now is a test to see how well you can cope with being sidelined and having to spend long days rehabilitating.

“Jamie will be stronger for the experience when he has come through it.”