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ESPN staff 9y

Newcastle WFC keeper Laura Wareham played on despite broken neck fear

A Newcastle United Women's Football Club goalkeeper played on despite fears she had suffered a suspected broken neck in a collision with a teammate.

Laura Wareham, 21, suffered the injury after only 15 minutes against Bradford City on Sunday after she and defender Kate Brooks combined to stop a Bradford forward scoring.

She continued to play but then collapsed twice and was rushed to hospital.

Wareham told the Newcastle Chronicle: "They took me off -- which I was quite angry about as I wanted to keep playing -- but sat on the bench I felt sick and then at half time the physio went to walk with me into the changing rooms and I collapsed.

"It was crazy and really scary, with the doctors talking about me potentially needing surgery."

Wareham has broken her neck before, after an accidental kick from a Leicester City striker in 2011 put her out for a year.

"Lots of people have asked me if it's not time to retire," Wareham said, "but I'm definitely not.

"If it's only ligament and soft tissue damage this time, then I'll be back to playing in the new year. I'm more gutted that I'll miss football than I am about being injured. I won't be scared going back -- I wasn't last time."

She later stressed on Twitter that she had not "snapped" her neck.

Wareham is not the first goalkeeper to suffer a serious neck injury and play on. The late Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann is best remembered for playing the final 17 minutes of City's 1956 FA Cup final win against Birmingham City with a broken neck.

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