A FORMER Bolton Wanderers soccer player who suffered an horrific leg injury during a match has vowed to battle back to full fitness and play again.

Marcus Hallows feared his leg may have to be amputated after a tackle during a game for Altrincham FC left him with severe fractures to his tibia and fibula bones.

But, recovering at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester today, the 29-year-old said: "I'm determined to fight back and get back on the pitch to start scoring goals again."

The former Bolton Wanderers reserve team striker, of Stitch-mi-Lane, Harwood, was left writhing in agony after a challenge that shattered his leg and pushed the bone through the skin.

Marcus had to wait 36 minutes for an ambulance to arrive and during that time the top of his foot started to turn blue, because the blood supply had been cut off.

Fears grew that he might lose his leg, but he has spoke about his hopes of resuming his football career after receiving a stream of messages of support after suffering the injury in last Saturday's game against Ashton United.

Marcus said: "Hopefully, I'll be walking on crutches by the end of this week. The doctors have told me that it will be six months before the wound is fully healed and then it's a long road of rehabilitation after that. But I'm not going to let this injury defeat me. I know there's a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm determined to battle on."

Marcus was always been keen to follow in the footsteps of his father, Paul, who played for Wanderers between 1968 and 1974.

Marcus has played for a host of clubs and was with Wanderers at Burnden Park for 12 months when Colin Todd was in charge.

His mum Ann was at the Reebok Stadium with her husband for the Premiership clash against Norwich when she received a call about the accident. She said: "It was a terrible moment when that call came through and we rushed straight to hospital. Marcus has had two operations and is on the mend."