Surgeons save Town star's foot saved by surgery

The midfielder, who left the County Ground in 1980, feared he may never walk again when a lawnmower blade shredded his left foot.

The accident happened last September at his home near Ipswich.

Mr Hamilton, who made 24 appearances for the Robins before joining Tranmere Rovers, was left writhing in pain, pinned beneath his sit-on mower.

Now after two operations to reconstruct his mangled foot and hours of intensive physiotherapy, the 58-year-old is able to walk unaided. The star, whose clubs include Ipswich Town between 1971 and 1975, also had a spell as manager of Northern Ireland.

Speaking to the East Anglian Daily Times, he said: "If I ever write a book I am going to call it Angels and Magicians.

"The hospital staff were like angels and the surgeons were like magicians."

Mr Hamilton described the moment the blade ripped through his trainers, severing arteries and tendons.

"The grass needed a cut. As I went out the rain just started. As I brought the mower in, it started to lock and slip down the bank to the river.

"It tried to jump off but my foot must have slipped underneath the blades."

Wife Collette wrapped towels around his foot to ease the bleeding, before dialling 999.

Originally, surgeons had hoped to take an artery and muscle from his right thigh and graft it on to his foot.

But they discovered his thigh muscles were too large and used artery and muscle from the inside of his left forearm.

"I have been unbelievably lucky," said Mr Hamilton, whose other clubs include Millwall, Everton and Leicester.

"I just count myself as one of the luckiest guys in the world because I came into contact with so many professional and talented people."

Lawnmowers seem to be a particular hazard to footballers. Former Arsenal star Charlie George hit the headlines when he cut off fingers while mowing his lawn.

And last May, former Swindon goalkeeper Frank Talia managed to cut off his toe while mowing his lawn.

Kevin Shoesmith