Darlington FC player Paddy Almond says career future is uncertain after suffering bleed on the brain

A footballer has said the future of his career is still "up in the air" after suffering a bleed on the brain during a match.

Midfielder Paddy Almond was taken off the pitch with a suspected concussion during the second half of Darlington FC's game against Southend United on 14 January.

He was taken for an emergency scan at Southend Hospital where it was determined the 20-year-old defender had in fact suffered a bleed on the brain.

After being discharged, and back at home, the footballer said he is overwhelmed by the support he has received but that the future of his football career is still uncertain.

Mr Almond told ITV Tyne Tees: "It’s obviously not a nice place to be, in hospital, for any length of time.

"Someone's who’s been there will probably tell you that but to have the support I have had - I couldn't ask for anymore.

"It has been top draw, I couldn't fault any of it. Obviously I didn’t ask for the money raised or anything but it still helps especially when I don't know what the future holds for me.

"It’s going to give me the best chance of finding out if I can play, and if I can, the money will give me chance of rehab and getting me back, to whatever level I can.

“To see the amount of people doing it [raising money], other teams, other people, family, friends, it's just been unbelievable."

Mr Almond only returned to action in November, after he suffered head injuries in a road traffic collision in June 2022.

More than £13,500 has been raised for Mr Almond to go towards treatment and recovery.

He said although he feels lucky to be alive, getting back on the pitch is his main aim at the moment.

Mr Almond said: “It all depends on how my head heals but obviously I’m not going to know until further down the line and they keep scanning it and see how it progresses.

“There’s still a chance of surgery at the moment, to remove some of the old blood and stuff that was still there so it's all up in the air.

“There’s nothing I can really do about it.

“I thought I’d had my fair share of it after the last incident. I thought that might have been it, but obviously this time around, same injury.

"It's sort of a shock to me but I am happy to still be here after everything because obviously some people aren't as lucky as I am.”

Recalling the match in January, he said: "Up until that point it was just a normal sort of game. I prepared the same, no different.

“I was enjoying myself, it was a good game to be playing. Then from what I remember it was just keeper kick, the ball was in the air, I sort of stumbled a bit, headed it and then all of a sudden, on the sideline they were all shouting “Paddy, you alright?” and they stopped the game to check if I was alright.”

“Apparently I looked like I’d slipped and sort of stumbled a bit. To me I felt fine so carried on for another five minutes and it just got too much for me, the pain.

“I started seeing double of everything and ended up going off. Danny, the physio, helped me off the pitch, I was sick, I just couldn’t do it anymore.

“It’s strange one because I didn’t think necessarily think 'oh I’ve done it again'. I just thought it might had been concussion.

“It can have the same side effects, but I knew after 10 minutes, when the pain wasn’t getting any easier, that it probably was a bit more serious than I thought.”

At the moment Mr Almond said he is focusing on staying positive and is determined to keep going.

He said: "It's just obviously its a big blow.

"I wanted to do football and now it's 50/50. Am I going to do football, am I not?

"It's tough times, obviously I’m not going to know for a while I’ve just got to keep going.”

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