Appeal for recovering keeper

29 Mar 2016 By David Watters

Goole AFC are hoping EVO-STIK Northern Premier League fans will help them raise £5000 to support keeper Jack Wheat after he suffered serious facial injuries on his Vikings debut and was later told he would never play again.

The former Armthorpe Welfare, Parkgate and Retford Town stopper suffered horrific facial injuries just 17 minutes into Goole's 2-1 defeat at Market Drayton Town on Saturday 12 March.

Diagnosed with a fractured skull, fractured eye socket, broken jaw and a compressed cheekbone, the 23-year-old underwent surgery in Sheffield 10 days later to have his jaw temporarily wired and plates fitted.

On Easter Monday the First Division South Vikings announced that they had set up an online JustGiving page and secretary Dave Oldridge said: "We are aiming to raise £5,000 in just 30 days to help support Jack over the coming months during his period of rehabilitation.

"Thankfully the operation went well but due to his injuries, Jack is likely to be unable to work for a considerable length of time and has been told he will be unable to play football again."

He added: "His surgeon said it was one of the worse facial fractures they had seen, with Jack being in surgery for over four hours, temporarily wiring his jaw and putting plates in his face."

To donate visit: http://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Jack-Wheat.

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Where next?

FA: Don't miss cup deadline! The EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's clubs only have a few days left to beat the final deadline for entering their sides in the FA Cup, FA Youth Cup and FA Trophy next season.

Easter Monday's Premier Division action review The weather was remarkably kind to the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's Premier Division on Easter Monday with only two games failing to pass inspections at Barwell and Whitby Town after Easter's arrival of Storm Katie, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.