Aston Villa coach 'too scared' to return to pitch after being knocked out by single punch at match in Walsall

Aston Villa coach Karl Fellows was rushed to hospital after he was knocked cold during a New Year's Day tie for local side Stourport Swifts.

The 29-year-old spent three hours under the knife as surgeons battled to save his shattered jaw - inserting a plate and four screws to repair the battered bone.

Karl had been playing for the Swifts in a Midland Football League match away at Walsall Wood FC when he was attacked in the 30th minute.

The attacker, who has not been identified, approached him from behind, before delivering the sickening blow out of the blue.

Luckily for Karl, who has played for the club for two years, an off duty nurse who happened to be watching the game rushed to his aid.

Speaking yesterday Karl, who lives in Solihull with partner Hayley and their 20-month-old son Frankie, said he would not be returning to the pitch.

He said: "I can't really remember much of it, because I was completely knocked out by the blow.

"But I know the punch came from behind. I was running back towards my goal to get the ball, and the next minute I was waking up in hospital.

"I'm still in excruciating pain, I can't believe what has happened to me, I was just playing football.

"When I went under the knife I was just supposed to be there for an hour, but they found my jaw was so badly broken they needed to do more work to save it.

"The x-rays show the damage was so bad they have had to cut in from the outside rather than just through my open mouth.

"That means I will have scars on the inside and outside of my mouth for the rest of my life.

"My face has been swollen, and my teeth are now completely rearranged.

"They said they managed to get the back teeth back in place, but it would take years and years for the front ones to come back, and they may well never do.

"I don't think I will play again, not how I feel at the moment, it's scary to think that could happen when you're just there to play.

"The police have told me the chap who hit me has been arrested for ABH, but I've heard nothing from the FA about what will happen to him.

"He should be banned, he should never be allowed to step on a football pitch again.

"It affects my livelihood as well, I work as a coach for Villa and if I can't get on the pitch with the kids I coach then what will I do?

"I coach football to young people and it is all about teaching respect. Players will always be injured, but being attacked, like I was, it was disgusting."

Karl's father Paul, 55, also of Solihull, said he was "horrified" by the incident.

He added: "I wasn't at the game but I got a call from Karl who could barely speak. I couldn't believe it when he told me what had happened.

"I've been refereeing football games for more than 20 years and I've never heard of an incident like it.

"Karl lives and breathes football. To think that this will put him off playing again breaks my heart."

Chris Reynolds, chairman of Stourport Swifts, said he had written to football league officials to complain about the incident.

"I'm appalled," he added. "Behaviour like that should not be tolerated, on or off the pitch."

A spokesman for Walsall Wood FC declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said that a 21-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assault at Walsall Wood FC's ground near Aldridge at around 4pm on New Year's Day, and had been bailed for further questioning later this month.