A POPULAR non-league footballer is waiting to see if he can resume his career after he suffered a suspected heart attack.

Whitby Town player Graham Robinson is recovering at his home in Guisborough, east Cleveland, after it emerged he developed a blood clot that had travelled to his heart.

Club officials at Whitby now hope the popular forward can make a full recovery and resume his playing career.

Mr Robinson, who works for Middlesbrough Football Club's academy, had been at work at Middlesbrough's Hurworth training complex, near Darlington, when he complained of chest pains.

A club doctor advised him to have further checks and he went to Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Tests revealed a blood clot that is thought to have developed from a knee injury he suffered at the beginning of the season. The 31-year-old, originally from South Africa, is now awaiting the results of further tests and has been told to rest for a month.

Whitby Town secretary Mike Green said: "It is a bit worrying as he is a fit lad. He never smokes and he is not a drinker.

"He has been with us for a good ten years and has been a excellent servant to the club and a very good player.

"I do not know what it means for his playing career, but I hope he can return and finish up playing with us."

There is a history of heart disease in Mr Robinson's family and he has an irregular heartbeat.

The former South Africa juniors international rejoined the club in 1998, having spent a season at Gateshead.

He was a member of the Whitby side that won the Northern League Championship in 1997 and was a member of the FA Carlsberg Vase-winning team at Wembley in the same season.

The next season, the club won the UniBond Division One Championship.

Mr Robinson has made 285 appearances for Whitby and scored 91 goals.