Given feared broken neck had ended career

Shay Given, the Newcastle goalkeeper, feared he had broken his neck and that his career would be over during the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia last week.

The 27-year-old was hurt diving into a challenge that caused such an impact that the Co Donegal man was left on the ground believing the worst possible scenario had occured.

"I thought I'd broken my neck and it was a bit scary," he said yesterday. "The bottom line was that had my neck been broken, I may not have played again.

"I could have been just one challenge away from that. When I came down I really did think something was gone because there was a proper crunch.

"It just shows how quickly it could all end and it puts everything else into perspective. But fortunately, I was okay."

Given is now more worried about the knee injury he picked up during the same game and, although he played against Everton at the weekend, he is facing a fight to make Newcastle's matches against Bolton and NAC Breda in the next nine days.

"I'm a bit concerned about it, but the physio says it should be okay and it should settle down again for Saturday," he said. "It is all a bit frustrating."

Given's team-mate Jonathan Woodgate knows all about frustration, and faces a crucial week as he attempts to put his injury worries behind him.

The 23-year-old England international has not played since the 1-0 defeat by Partizan Belgrade on 27 August, which cost his side their place in the Champions' League.

A stomach-muscle injury is the cause of the problem and meant that Woodgate was unavailable for England's Euro 2004 qualifiers against Macedonia and Liechtenstein, as well as Premiership games with Birmingham and Everton.

Medical opinion suggests the period of rest should cure the problem and Woodgate returned to light training this week. He will attempt to step up his work-rate in preparation for the visit of Bolton to St James' Park on Saturday.

If he breaks down again, Newcastle may lose their £9m man for several weeks to undergo surgery to repair the injury. The club have played down reports that Woodgate may be suffering from a hernia and that an operation for that could sideline him for six weeks.

"We don't think it is a hernia," Sir Bobby Robson said. "We took a chance with him against Partizan because he's so important for us and he was willing to take the chance.

"He felt he could, he played and did all right. He was fine. He played the whole match, he played extra-time, missed a penalty, so he was on the pitch, and then on the Friday, he said he didn't feel right again."

Woodgate is so important to United's cause that they need him against Bolton as they go in search of their first League win of the season.

Robson was full of praise for Titus Bramble and Andy O'Brien, who lined up in central defence at Everton on Saturday, although. But it did not escape his attention that a lack of organisation inside the Magpies' penalty area gifted Tomasz Radzinski a first equaliser, or that they could not hang on to a 2-1 lead for the final eight minutes of the game.