Allen Slinger, who plays for Forester Athletic 2nd, was 20 minutes into his side’s league fixture against Langtoft at Rudston when the accident happened. The game was suspended for around 45 minutes, due to the severity of the injury, while the ambulance came and took him straight to Scarborough Hospital where it was diagnosed that he had broken his right tibia and fibula just above the ankle.

Speaking to the Free Press, Allen, 27, said: “I went in for a 50-50 ball and I think our shins smashed together, it was a pure accident. The bad thing is that they were unable to set it and I had to have a metal rod fixed from my ankle to knee which meant me being in hospital for ten days.

“I just hope everything goes well now and I will have the pot on for about ten weeks, and hopefully should be able to play football again in about nine months to a year.”

Allen added: “I would like to thank my family, friends, teammates and all the Langtoft players, especially Dean and Ben, for their help and kind words.”

Allen, pictured left, was due to go to America in June where he had accepted a placement with Camp America in New York State, but he says they have assured him that he will be able to take up the position next year.

He was discharged from hospital on Friday and managed, with help from his friends, to make it to the cup final on Saturday night where his team beat Bay Horse Kilham to lift the Bryan Pannhausen Trophy and a little more cheerful Allen joined his teammates for the celebration photograph.

A spokesman for Langtoft FC sends best wishes to Allen for a full recovery from everyone connected with his club and thanks the Forester players for their kind words of consolation to the Langtoft player involved.

Cup final report and more pictures on page 76.