Davey has the option of recruiting another midfield player on loan.

"It's difficult, it depends who is available," Davey explained.

"Championship club won't let players out to you, you can't go foreign and that means you have to look at the Premier League."

A scan on de Silva's knee has revealed ruptured ligaments. It will take around six months to recover, Davey said.

"He's distraught, his family are distraught; we're all very upset," he added.

A double blow hit Barnsley's Championship ambitions and FA Cup dream after the derby stalemate with Sheffield Wednesday.

In addition to the news that de Silva will not play again this season, Rob Kozluk's red card in the 0-0 draw rules him out of tomorrow's league game at Blackpool.

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Full- back Kozluk was sent off in the dying moments for a foul on Marcus Tudgay.

Referee Steve Tanner showed him a second yellow card before the red.

Barnsley manager Simon Davey refused to heap blame on Kozluk.

"It disappoints me that he has got sent off. I'm not going to have a go at Rob," Davey declared.

"He's been wholehearted all game, he's put his foot in, his head in, where it hurts.

"Unfortunately, he's picked up two yellow cards. Maybe he was a bit naive."

Davey had recalled Kozluk to the back four on Saturday as Dennis Souza served a one-match ban.

Centre-back Souza will be back tomorrow at Blackpool with Stephen Foster set to move to right-back and Marciano van Homoet to left- back.

In de Silva's absence, Bobby Hassell is expected to continue in midfield.

Tickets for the FA Cup quarter-final with Chelsea went on general sale this morning and just before the box office opened 700 had joined the queue.

A sell-out was being forecast by close of business today.

Meanwhile, Brian Laws today paid tribute to new star Mark Beevers and the Owls' youth set-up as the defender celebrates his triumph at the Football League awards.

Beevers, the 18-year-old who is already a first-team regular, was named as winner of the Wickes Apprentice of the Year Trophy at the league presentation in London.

Owls boss Laws said that the award was richly deserved.

"Mark is a credit to himself and the club, and it shows what a good academy can do for a club like Sheffield Wednesday," he said.

"Three of our back four who finished against Barnsley on Saturday have come through the ranks: Mark, Richard Wood and Tommy Spurr.

"The right principles and the right coaches have helped these players to develop into first-team players, and it shows even younger players who are aspiring to be professionals what can be achieved here."

The three young defenders helped the Owls to keep a third consecutive clean sheet in the 0-0 draw at Oakwell.

Laws has again shrugged off speculation about his future, after claims Alan Shearer and Chelsea No 2 Steve Clarke could be contenders for his job if the Owls are taken over.

He said: "No-one has taken over the club yet or made any suggestions. They have to take the club over first before you can surmise my job is in jeopardy."

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