A PROMISING young footballer's career is over after a horrific accident during a match.

Simon Yates' cheekbone "splintered like spokes on a bicycle wheel" in a hefty challenge which also left him with badly blurred vision.

The 18-year-old, who had played for Manchester United junior teams and had trials with Bolton Wanderers, needed a steel plate fitted by surgeons to stop one side of his face collapsing.

But now the Farnworth teenager has been hit by a double heartache because his playing days are over - and he is unlikely to get compensation because his injury is not covered by league or club insurance.

Simon said: "I'm absolutely gutted. The game I love is gone from me forever."

His manager John Harrison added: "I'm distraught. Simon was like a son to me. He was the best young player I ever coached."

Simon, because of age restrictions, was playing his last match for Farnworth Boys' Club during the final game of the season in the Bolton Boys Federation under-18 A section when he was injured.

The combative central midfielder raced on to a bouncing through ball 12 minutes into the contest at Bradford Street playing fields, Farnworth, and just had the goalkeeper, from visitors AFC Bolton, to beat. Both players clashed in a 50-50 challenge as Simon bravely nodded the ball goalwards.

Simon, of Moorside Avenue, Farnworth, shattered his cheekbone in three places, badly broke the bone under his right eye and suffered nerve damage which left him with no feeling in parts of his face.

Specialists at Blackburn Royal Infirmary told his family that his cheekbone had "splintered like spokes on a bicycle wheel" and said a permanent steel plate was the only option to stop the right side of his face collapsing. Several hours of surgery was needed and now Simon, an apprentice plasterer for Bolton Council, faces weeks off work and another 12 months before his eyesight and facial nerves fully recover.

The youngster is unlikely to get any compensation because insurance taken out by his league and club only protects players with basic cover including death, loss of limb and blindness.

Simon, who will receive sickness benefit from work, said: "I think it's wrong that I'm not entitled to something for the pain I've suffered and the fact I can't play properly again. "I've played for the league for eight years so I'm also thinking about other lads who could be in my position in the future."

Bolton Boys' Federation general secretary Mike Coleman, who paid tribute to an "outstanding" player, said that the league would be pressing their insurers for compensation for Simon.

He added that the federation provided cover which met national standards, but it was up to his club to pay for more comprehensive premiums. "It's a tragedy, but taking out good cover is something we urge clubs to do every year," he said.

But manager John Harrison said that very few clubs could afford sky-high prices for extensive premiums.

"I had to pay for basic cover for the lads every year out of my own pocket." he said. "Perhaps the league should look at improving its own insurance."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.