By FRANCO PANIZO

Jonathan Spector has played his final game of 2014.

Spector has been diagnosed with a torn thigh muscle and tendon and is expected to miss a minimum of three months, a timetable that rules him out for the remainder of the calendar year.

The versatile, 28-year-old Spector suffered the injuries in the waning moments of Birmingham City’s 2-1 loss to Fulham this past Saturday. He was replaced deep into stoppage time, and was not in uniform for Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Millwall.

“It’s very similar to the season before I got here,” Blues manager Lee Clark told reporters. “He injured his other side then and I think they risked him in the play-offs, against Blackpool, and it teared again.

“It seems the last three or four weeks the injury list has gone a bit crazy, to be honest.”

Spector’s absence could open the door for fellow American Will Packwood to dress a little more often after seldom being on Birmingham’s match-day rosters during the opening months of the season. Packwood, 21, just made his season debut in the victory over Millwall, coming off the bench to help close out the result.

Spector had carved out a regular role with the Blues during the opening months of the Championship campaign. The former U.S. Men’s National Team started six of the eight league games he played in, and one of the two Capital One Cup matches he appeared in.

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What do you make of Spector being sidelined for at least months? Think this is Packwood’s chance to make a serious claim for some minutes? Expect Spector to make his way back into the lineup upon his return?

Share your thoughts below.