Lee Browning is coming to terms with the news that he won’t play football again.

The 28-year-old Herne Bay midfielder, a self-employed carpenter, had already been ruled out for the rest of the season, following an horrific clash of heads with Nick Treadwell in the Ryman League, Division 1 South game against Ramsgate at Winch’s Field last month.

The match was abandoned at half-time with Bay leading 1-0, after their condition worsened. They were taken to Ashford’s William Harvey Hospital – Browning by air ambulance – before both were allowed home later in the evening.

Boss Sam Denly said: “Lee saw a neurologist last week and was told playing any contact sport in the future could leave him brain damaged or affect his sight.

“He and everybody connected with the club are devastated by the news.”

Rams won the re-arranged game 2-1 on Tuesday night with a crowd of 370 paying what they like at the gate, helping raise more than £1,200 for the Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air
Ambulance.

Denly added: “Lee has been told he should never have been released from hospital, has had his driving licence taken away and is due to have a scan on his head at King’s College Hospital in London.

“It looks as if he will have to go private, costing him in the region of £1,500 and we are planning to hold a special match to help him.”

The news came in a difficult week for Denly, after seeing three players sent off in the 2-0 defeat at Walton Casuals, which finally killed off any lingering play-off hopes.

Skipper Liam Quinn and Mark Lovell (two matches) Danny Williams (three) now face bans,

Bay have now had 16 players dismissed in all competitions this season, the worst record in the top-16 leagues in the country.

The club look set to be called before the Football Association at the end of the season to explain their poor record and Denly plans to address things in the summer.

He said: “I take full responsibility, the buck stops with me and I said my piece after the game. It is my job to see it doesn’t happen again – and it
won’t.”

Bay host South Park on Saturday (3pm).