loan striker Noel Whelan has played his last game for Crystal Palace after an ankle injury forced him to return to Premiership Middlesbrough.

Whelan, 29, was substituted after 40 minutes against Stoke on Saturday, when he suffered a recurrence of a persistent ankle ligament injury picked up against Reading in March.

The former Leeds and Coventry hitman joined Palace on loan back on March 8, when the Eagles were still in play-off contention under former boss Trevor Francis.

Whelan made seven league appearances for the Eagles (one as a sub), scoring three goals, as Palace's hopes faded.

Palace caretaker manager Steve Kember said: "Noel has done his ankle ligaments so he has gone up to Middlesbrough and his season's over as far as the Nationwide is concerned."

Although Whelan's performances and willingness

to play through injury impressed the Palace management, the striker's Premiership wages mean the club cannot afford to sign him.

Kember added: "We bought Noel in when we were still in with a chance of getting into the play-offs.

"Middlesbrough did us a favour on the wages and I think he's well out of our wage bracket if we were to try and sign him.

"He did well for us and if he had been fully fit, we would have seen more of him."

April 30, 2003 12:30