Doncaster Rovers Belles footballer thanks Gary Lineker after surgery plea

A footballer from Doncaster who was forced to pay for her own career-saving surgery says a £3,000 donation she received from Gary Lineker still makes her feel "emotional".

Doncaster Rovers Belles captain Sophie Scargill, 26, was training when she twisted her right knee in September last year.

She ruptured her lateral meniscus ligament and was told by NHS doctors she faced an 18-month wait for an operation.

The club told her their insurance would only cover a fraction of the cost of private surgery – prompting a £5,000 crowdfunding campaign, which then went viral.

Among the 99 donors were former England footballer and TV pundit Gary Lineker and Doncaster-born Watford full-back Danny Rose.

"I’m going to get emotional speaking about it," she told ITV News. "But just for them to be bothered, to go out of their way and genuinely save my career, it’s the best feeling ever and it spurs me on to get better.

"There have been times where I’ve thought I can’t do this, there's too much pain and swelling, but to know people have got my back spurs me on to come back this season."

Doncaster Rovers Belles said that, while all players are insured, "the premium does not cover the full cost of this surgery".

A spokesperson said the team's status as an amateur and unpaid side in the fourth tier of the game means the club is "not currently playing at a level where it can absorb the costs of a player’s operation".

Sophie, who also works full-time in sales, was largely bed-bound for a month following her surgery last year but has since been doing physio-led rehabilitation work to return to football.

She is now back in full training with the Belles, who sit top of the Women's National League Division One Midlands, and hopes to play a part in their upcoming fixtures.

But she is urging other lower league footballers to check whether they are fully insured to treat major injuries and, if not, believes they should look into medical cover themselves.

"It's not very much per month to have financial security, I would not wish what I’ve been through on anyone.

"I didn’t think I was going to be here, some I'm taking it each day at a time. It’s such a nice feeling to be back. It really has given me a better outlook on things and made me appreciate what I've got."