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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Man Utd player wins £4.5m payout | Man Utd player wins £4.5m payout |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A former Manchester United player whose career was ended when when he was injured in a tackle has been awarded more than £4.5m in compensation. | A former Manchester United player whose career was ended when when he was injured in a tackle has been awarded more than £4.5m in compensation. |
| Ben Collett, 23, broke his leg in a reserve game against Middlesbrough five years ago, at the age of 18. | Ben Collett, 23, broke his leg in a reserve game against Middlesbrough five years ago, at the age of 18. |
| Boro player Gary Smith and his club admitted liability for the injury. | Boro player Gary Smith and his club admitted liability for the injury. |
| The total compensation will be decided when sums for future loss of pension and interest on past loss of earnings are determined at a hearing in October. | The total compensation will be decided when sums for future loss of pension and interest on past loss of earnings are determined at a hearing in October. |
| Sitting at London's High Court, Mrs Justice Swift awarded the player £4.3m and said the final sum payable to Collett was unlikely to be less than £4.5m. | Sitting at London's High Court, Mrs Justice Swift awarded the player £4.3m and said the final sum payable to Collett was unlikely to be less than £4.5m. |
| Cup winner | Cup winner |
| Collett's solicitor Jan Levinson said the award "reflects Ben's talent and potential prior to the tackle as one of the brightest young footballers in the country". | |
| He added: "Having said that, Ben would have preferred to have earned this through a full career in the game." | |
| The match against Middlesbrough was Collett's debut for United's reserve team. | The match against Middlesbrough was Collett's debut for United's reserve team. |
| Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson described him as an "outstanding" player. | Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson described him as an "outstanding" player. |
| Collett joined United's youth academy aged nine and went in to become a member of the club's FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2003. | |
| But his right leg was broken in two places in the match in May 2003. | But his right leg was broken in two places in the match in May 2003. |
| The compensation will be paid by Middlesbrough's insurers. | The compensation will be paid by Middlesbrough's insurers. |
| 'Fantastic focus' | |
| Mrs Justice Swift said had it not been for the injury Collett would have been offered a three-year professional contract with Manchester United. | Mrs Justice Swift said had it not been for the injury Collett would have been offered a three-year professional contract with Manchester United. |
| At an earlier hearing in Manchester Sir Alex said: "I thought the boy showed fantastic focus, a great attitude to work hard and they are qualities to give any player an outstanding chance in the game." | |
| The court had heard that Mr Collett could have earned more than £13,000 a week, making a total in excess of £16m if he had played until the age of 35. | |
| Mrs Justice Swift awarded Mr Collett £3,854,328 for future loss of earnings. | |
| The figure for general damages for pain and suffering, loss of amenity and loss of congenial employment was £35,000 . | |
| Past loss of earnings was put at £456,095. |