Personal injury compensation agreed for footballer forced to retire

Posted 08/02/2011

A former professional footballer has been awarded personal injury compensation after a training incident forced him to retire.

Dean Ashton, who played for West Ham United and England, failed to recover after his ankle was damaged during preparations for a friendly match against Greece in 2006.

The 27-year-old was tackled by teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips and underwent surgery in an attempt to allow him to return to the sport.

However, he only played one more match for England, against Trinidad and Tobago in 2008, before being advised he should quit.

The Football Association (FA) said: “The FA is pleased to announce that the legal proceedings brought by Dean Ashton … have been settled upon terms mutually acceptable to the parties and their insurers.”

It has not been revealed how much the former striker was awarded by the governing body.

The FA was founded in 1863 and is responsible for all regulatory aspects of the game of football in England.

Simon Davis, a partner in Ashtons Legal’s personal injury team, comments: “This reminds us that football and other sports have to play and train within the rules, otherwise liability for large amounts of compensation will ensue. Footballers’ salaries are the subject of regular comment. The loss of a career at the highest level will be compensated at the highest level.”