TALENTED teenage footballer last night told how his American dream was shattered by an ankle-breaking tackle only weeks before he was due to start a new life.

Jonathan Carroll suffered the injury in a pre-season tournament when his under-18s team, from Marton, Middlesbrough, took on an adult side described by a referee as “chewy and aggressive”.

The promising left-midfielder has had three operations to insert and remove pins and plates from his ankle, and has not played since the heartbreaking fracture on June 8, last year.

Last August, he was due to travel to the US to start a fouryear football scholarship at the Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

Originally, the studies were put on hold while the injury was assessed, but it is now likely that Mr Carroll will not be able to take up the offer, and must look for an alternative career.

Another player who was talent- spotted from the team did go to Jefferson City, and Mr Carroll, now 19, said last night: “I can’t help thinking what might have been.”

He said: “I am devastated about missing out on the scholarship. I’ve been fed-up for the past year because of the injury, but it’s worse knowing I’ve missed out.

“I was all set to go and then I got the injury.

“It was a dream come true, and I thought it was a great opportunity to be spotted by a team and get picked up.”

Mr Carroll is awaiting a fourth operation and is determined to prove wrong the doctors who warned he might never play football again.

In the meantime, he has started a three-year degree course in food science at Teesside University, and is determined to make the most of his unlucky break.

“The surgeon said my ankle will never be the same again and I’ll only be able to play football if I play on my left leg, which I obviously wasn’t too happy to hear.

“I will try to prove him wrong and do my best to get over it,”

said Mr Carroll, from North Ormesby, Middlesbrough. “I’ve missed playing and would love to be back on the pitch.”

The teenager, who gave evidence against opponent Mark Ward during a crown court trial last week, thanked Detective Constable Gary Morgan for his work in bringing the prosecution.

Ward, who played for Whale Hill FC and said he prided himself in his hard-man reputation, was convicted of common assault on Friday and was warned he faces jail.

After a four-day hearing Ward, 23, of St Mary’s Court, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of stamping on Mr Carroll’s ankle and will be sentenced on May 15.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Ward smashed Mr Carroll’s ankle in a tackle early on in the match in Eston, near Middlesbrough, then stamped on him as he lay in agony on the ground.