Kyle Lightbourne has been laid low by a mystery virus that has prevented him from contributing to Stoke City's fight against First Division relegation.

The Bermudian striker has lost more than 14 pounds in weight and is still struggling to regain strength.

He went down with the illness shortly after his 425,000 transfer from Coventry City in mid-February.

In the time he has been at Stoke, the club have failed to pick up a win and have slumped to the bottom of the division. Lightbourne struggled through five matches before missing Saturday's latest defeat, 5-1 away to Oxford.

"I was playing but I didn't feel right at all,'' explained Lightbourne yesterday. "I lost over a stone in weight inside a week and I still haven't got all my weight back as yet. I came off in my last game against Huddersfield which we lost 2-1.'' It has been a frustrating time for both Lightbourne and the club which moved to a new stadium this season.

"In the early part of the season they were doing really well,'' Lightbourne recalled. "They have moved into a new stadium and I don't think they have found their feet as yet. It's very important for the club to stay in the First Division. They are a big club.

"We only have eight games left and if we don't win half of them we will be relegated. One good thing is that of all the teams near the bottom it seems we have the easiest -- if you can call it that -- run-in on paper.'' Added Lightbourne: "There is only one team we have to play in the top half of the table...Sunderland who are going quite well. We have QPR on Saturday and then Tranmere who are in the bottom half.

"If we win three in a row it could take us out of the situation we are in.

The main thing is to try to get wins because draws are no good to us at this stage.'' The quicker Lightbourne regains full fitness the better chance the team have of avoiding the drop. They are one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888, and have a proud history.

Lightbourne, who hasn't trained for a week, is due to train today, after which he should know whether he's fit to play again.

"The doctors said it could take up to four weeks to feel the way I should be feeling,'' said Lightbourne.

"I have felt very weak in all of the games I've played. I have basically struggled through games. I was playing but didn't feel right at all. "It's very frustrating, I know what I can do on the pitch but I can't do it. The most disappointing thing is I just arrived at the club and first impression means a lot.'' Lightbourne's former local club, PHC, are also faced with relegation and he's threatened with a return to the Second Division which he left only last season when he transferred from Walsall.

"It's been a bad year for me allround,'' he acknowledged.

KYLE LIGHTBOURNE -- both he and his club are suffering.