MIKE LEWIS has been told he will never play regular rugby again due to a knee injury.

The 24-year-old Plymouth Albion lock had been harbouring slim hopes a revolutionary operation might save his promising career.

But after visiting a consultant in Coventry, the former city schoolboy has been told the surgery would not benefit him.

"I am definitely having to retire now," said a disappointed Lewis

(pictured right)

. "Not even a year out of the game is going to help. I have basically worn through the whole cartilage and the bone is also frayed."

Lewis had been told the chances of saving his career were slim after undergoing cartilage surgery in March.

He said he had not built his hopes up too much, even when it was suggested he sought the advice of a top consultant in the Midlands.

"I had kind of come to terms with it the first time around," said Lewis. "But I suppose I was pinning my hopes that maybe there might be a chance of playing again, even if it was at a lower level."

Lewis has been at Albion since he was a schoolboy. He made his debut in 2005 while still a teenager and went on to play 65 times for the Championship club.

Albion's chairman of rugby Graham Dawe said: "It is devastating news for Mike and for the club. He is a local lad and we pinned a lot of hopes that he would be here for a long time."

Lewis, who has a degree from Marjons, is now coming to terms with the fact that rugby is no longer his life.

"For eight or nine years that is all I've ever done or wanted to do," said the former John Kitto and Ivybridge Community College pupil.

"I suppose I have done a lot better than some, but it is a hard pill to swallow when you have been there and then have to give it up."

Lewis would like to eventually get back involved in rugby, but first he has to try to make ends meet.

"Rugby is all I have ever done until now, but I've had to get myself a job," he said.

"Hopefully in the future I will be able to pursue a career in rugby, but at the moment I am just considering every option. I think I will try my hand at everything and see what I like."

Lewis, who also likes to watch Plymouth Argyle and Raiders, insists he will be a regular visitor at Brickfields next season.

"I will be going down to watch games," he said. "I am not going to stay away. I don't think I could. I'll keep watching as much sport as I can. I have got to get my fixes somehow!"

Lewis hopes to see Albion pushing for a place in the Premiership and believes the team can do well next season.

"Last year I believe our final position (eighth) was actually below us," said Lewis. "Everyone in the squad got on together. There were no cliques.

"If they can keep that nucleus together and can keep the same attitude, they should do well."

ALBION are rumoured to be interested in signing Birmingham-Solihull centre Cameron Mitchell. Sources at the Midlands club claim Cameron has said he would like to move to Plymouth.

Mitchell, 26, who can also play on the wing, played 86 National League games for Stourbridge (2003-07) and Birmingham (2007-09), and scored 25 tries. Last season he made 18 Championship appearances for the Bees, starting 15 games and scoring three tries.

He was also selected to tour Canada with England Counties this summer but had to pull out due to personal reasons.