FORMER A-League player Ben Collett has been awarded almost A$10m in damages by a court in the UK following a tackle that effectively ended his career five years ago.
Collett's leg was broken in a reserve match against Middlesbrough in 2003. The player was on debut for Manchester United as an 18-year-old.
He never fully recovered from this double break and a judge in London awarded Collett GBP4.3 million, which included GBP3.9 million for loss of future earnings, GBP460,000 for past earnings and about GBP40,000 as compensation for pain and suffering.
Some have expressed surprise at the amount of the payout. Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, said that the decision could affect clubs' insurance premiums.
In 2005, Collett attempted to reignite his career with a stint in the A-League with the ill-fated New Zealand Knights.
The slightly built midfielder played in the club's opening A-League match against Queensland Roar at Suncorp stadium but made very little headway that season and was released in 2006.
Collett was last seen on the books of lower tier Dutch club AGOVV Apeldoorn.
He never fully recovered from this double break and a judge in London awarded Collett GBP4.3 million, which included GBP3.9 million for loss of future earnings, GBP460,000 for past earnings and about GBP40,000 as compensation for pain and suffering.
Some have expressed surprise at the amount of the payout. Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, said that the decision could affect clubs' insurance premiums.
In 2005, Collett attempted to reignite his career with a stint in the A-League with the ill-fated New Zealand Knights.
The slightly built midfielder played in the club's opening A-League match against Queensland Roar at Suncorp stadium but made very little headway that season and was released in 2006.
Collett was last seen on the books of lower tier Dutch club AGOVV Apeldoorn.
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