MANCHESTER, England, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A British court has awarded a former Manchester United soccer trainee $8.3 million in compensation for a career-ending injury sustained in a reserves game.
Ben Collett, a highly regarded prospect, sustained a broken leg from a violent tackle five years ago when he was 18, cutting his career short. The Manchester High Court made the award after Middlesbrough player Gary Smith and his club admitted liability to their insurers, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and club captain Gary Neville both testified at a hearing in the case last month, with Ferguson reportedly saying Collett had "an outstanding chance" of making the team and gaining a lucrative contract.
Now 23, Collett's attorneys said the one-time prospect couldn't resurrect his soccer career after the injury and is now studying and looking to launch an alternative career, the newspaper said.
