KEITH Ryan lasted just 14 minutes of his own testimonial on Tuesday and now looks set to join injured stars Sean Devine, Dave Carroll and Paul Emblen on the unavailable list when the new season starts at Stoke next Saturday.

Injury-jinxed Ryan made his first appearance of the pre-season as he recovers from a calf strain, and was only allowed that after pleading with boss Lawrie Sanchez.

Rhino said: 'It was touch and go and perhaps I shouldn't have played but I asked the gaffer if I could start. He said I could have five minutes and thankfully let me have 15. It was my game and I didn't want to be a passenger. It felt good to be on the pitch again. I enjoyed it and it was lovely to get the reaction of the crowd.'

Although Ryan safely came through his brief appearance, Sanchez whipped him off as a precaution replacing him with the Jermaine McSporran.

He said: 'Keith's still not fit. He can do 90 per cent of the running but at the top end he feels it.'

Sanchez is expected to wrap Ryan in cotton wool again tomorrow and leave him out of Blues' final pre-season friendly against Crystal Palace and said: 'It's unlikely he'll make the start of the season.'

Rhino was given a standing ovation by the 2,638-strong crowd, which included Spice Girl Mel B, who was a guest of Leicester's Stan Collymore.

He said: 'I was hoping to get 3,000 but we weren't far off. I'm pleased and grateful to everyone who came.'

For the first hour the game was played at testimonial pace with both sides keeping the ball in the absence of any meaty tackles.

But it sprung to life when City's record £5 million signing, Ade Akinbyi, whacked a brilliant 56th minute opening goal from an unlikely position near the right touchline which keeper Martin Taylor described as one of the best goals he's ever conceded.

Collymore made it two with a clinical finish to delight his celebrity guest and Lawrie Dudfield made it 3-0 five minutes from time as he capitalised on sloppy Wycombe defending.

Sanchez said: 'For an hour it was a good workout, but after that there was only one team in it.'

McSporran went closest for Wycombe when he left Northern Ireland international Neil Lennon for dead before unleashing a shot which shook the crossbar.