WANTED – One goalkeeper who can get in goal for Royton Town’s reserve team ASAP after their custodian suffered a horror injury.
The stopper was still in hospital three days later as he needed an operation, with either a screw or a metal plate inserted.
“It was a shocker,” said Royton’s reserve team manager Paul Gidley. “If anything, he was too brave for his own good.
“He came out to collect the ball but they have a big centre forward who got there at the same time and challenged for it.
“Afterwards it was decided to get an ambulance and the game had to be abandoned – we realised straight away he was in trouble.
“He was in hospital for a few days afterwards too. It was 1-0 to us at the time and we would have gone top had we won!
“But now we need to replace him. We’d already lost Simon Sidlow, who has moved up to Scotland because of work.
“So I’ll be busy on the phone trying to get someone in!”
A fundraising night for Stewart, who faces up to four months off his day job as a driver, is already being set up and local rivals Springhead have already said they will help sell tickets.
Town’s second XI has made a fine start to the season in Manchester League Division Four, which they won last season but were denied promotion from because of a restructure.
However, its first team is struggling near the bottom of the Premier Division after being hit by injuries and unavailability of players because of work commitments.
“The young lads have been really good in the reserve team,” added Paul. “Mind you, so to have the older ones!
“But the first team has been really unlucky with injuries and people not available because of work commitments.
“When we get everybody back, there’s more than enough ability for us to push up the table.”