A NORTH-EAST footballer is determined to press ahead with legal action after he broke his ankle during an incident with another player.

Glen Downey, of Unibond Northern Premier League team Bishop Auckland, had to be stretchered off and taken to hospital after he was tackled by Guisborough midfielder Paul Harrison on Friday.

Glen, 21, a former professional with Hartlepool United, broke his ankle and tore a ligament in the clash and is likely to be out of action for the rest of the season.

He said yesterday he had been to see a solicitor to take advice on legal action.

"As far as I'm concerned, I want to push ahead with it," said Glen. "The ankle is very sore. I have to go for another x-ray on Friday, to see if I'll have to have a metal plate put in."

The defender joined Division Three side Hartlepool as a YTS trainee for two years and played professionally for a further three, before joining Bishop Auckland in November.

Keith Smeltzer, club secretary for Guisborough, said yesterday: "We obviously feel sympathetic. It's unfortunate, but people do get injured on football pitches. The manager will be speaking to him this week."

Four years ago, Bishop Auckland had to raise £30,000 to stave off bankruptcy after a Macclesfield player sought compensation for injuries suffered in a game against Bishop Auckland.

Only a massive fundraising campaign, backed by The Northern Echo and some of the biggest names in the game, kept the club afloat.