MAIDSTONE United Football Club's joint manager Alan Walker has been told that it could take several weeks or even months for him to walk again.

Walker is due to undergo major surgery in a Belfast hospital on Tuesday after a freak accident left him completely paralysed for 24 hours.

The 47-year-old was attending an Irish FA A-licence coaching course when he jumped to head a ball. On hitting the ground he damaged his spinal chord and a disc popped out.

He has since regained some movement and according to Lloyd Hume, Walker's co-manager at Maidstone who was also on the course, his surgeon is confident he will walk again, although it may take weeks or months.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Walker said: "I can't walk and I can't grip anything. I have to admit that it's not looking good. The surgeon has told me that he'll know more 72 hours after the operation."

Walker is well known throughout Kent football having made 151 appearances for Gillingham and also playing for Sittingbourne.

* For more details see the Kent Messenger and Medway Messenger (Friday, June 8).