Recent signing Cameron Stewart is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after fracturing his jaw during Saturday’s 1-1 friendly draw at Leyton Orient.
"Cameron was caught by an arm late on in the game on Saturday and the scan has shown that he has fractured his jaw,” Blues physio Matt Byard told the club site.
"He will have surgery in the morning and we will see where we stand from there but for that type of injury, you are looking at between four to six weeks on the sidelines.”
Stewart joined the Blues on a free transfer in July having been released by Hull City after a proposed switch to his former loan side Leeds broke down.
In addition to Stewart, fellow winger Stephen Hunt was absent for all Town’s pre-season games with a calf injury and will also miss Saturday’s season opener at home to Fulham (Sky Sports 1/HD1, KO 5.15pm).
Tommy Smith and Paul Anderson were left out of the team at Brisbane Road due to groin and hamstring injuries respectively but on Saturday manager Mick McCarthy said he expected them to be OK for the Cottagers’ visit, while Jonny Parr suffered a groin problem against the O’s.
Meanwhile, former Blue Scott Barron has been forced to hang up his boots at the age of 28 due to a hip problem.
The left-back or midfielder came through the academy at Playford Road and broke into the Town first team under Joe Royle, making 16 starts and one sub appearance before moving on to Millwall in 2007. He was most recently with Brentford.