GRAEME Le Saux's father today spoke of his alarm when he first heard of the horrendous injury to the Blackburn Rovers and England full back.

And Pierre Le Saux revealed that he had been told by the surgeon who carried out the operation that no long-term problems were anticipated over his recovery.

Pierre often travels to Rovers matches and saw the West Ham game. But he was at home in Jersey last Saturday when Graeme was stretchered off at a stunned Ewood.

He said: "I was passing a radio and I heard Jimmy Armfield say that Graeme Le Saux looked to be in agony.

"My heart was in my mouth for a time.

"But Graeme himself phoned me before he went into the operating theatre so that I knew what was happening. "The surgeon himself then went to great trouble to contact me on Saturday night.

"It was a bad injury but he said he was pleased by the way everything had gone. He had treated people with similar injuries and didn't foresee any long-term complications.

"I have spoken to Graeme since and he seemed bright and breezy again, more like his normal self.

"But it's so sad for him, especially with the European Championships coming up. He was really looking forward to those.

"He will now be in plaster for about eight weeks and, personally, I doubt if he will play again this season. But I always look on the worst side and then anything else like coming back sooner is a bonus."

Rovers will badly miss Le Saux, so too will England. But the club's only concern will be to ensure that he makes a complete recovery.

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