Albion midfielder Andrew Crofts has targeted a return to action at the start of next season after successful cruciate knee ligament surgery.

Crofts suffered the damage in last month's home win over Birmingham.

The Welsh international said: "I've been lucky because I've never really had a bad injury but I knew I'd done something bad, because it was something I'd never felt before.

"It's just day to day now. I've been working with the medical staff and I've got goals to reach here and there.

"It's seven months until the start of the season so that's realistic and, fingers crossed, I'll be back getting ready for that."

Crofts, a key cog of Albion's promotion challenge with six goals in 27 games, watched Saturday's victory over Doncaster at the Amex.

He said: "Things were going so well, I was loving my football and I think everyone could see that.

"Obviously it's tough but that's football. It was going really well and I was loving every minute of it and it's really hard at the minute but I was at the Doncaster game seeing the boys.

"Since the game against Birmingham we hadn't had a home game so I've just been watching Sky at home and it's not the same."