Guernsey Press

Football coaches back surgery for Anthony

ANTHONY McMahon is the 'perfect football player' to coach but he is reaching a point where his disability will start to hold him back, his football mentors have said.

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The nine-year-old, who dreams of becoming a professional footballer, is facing having one of his legs amputated after being refused funding for a second 'super hip and knee' operation, as on his right leg.

And now, the Year 4 football coaches at St Martin's Athletics Club have joined a wave of public support for the Notre Dame pupil.

Anthony has played at the club for five years and has proved himself to be a top player.

One of his coaches, Kevin Gilligan, said the whole of the football community was behind Anthony and his parents, Ian McMahon and Kerry Croxton, and their push to get funding for the operation.

'Anthony is always involved in games and tournaments,' he said.

'We have got some of the top kids in their age group here and Anthony is certainly in the top five in terms of striking a football and technique. But in my own opinion he is reaching a point that his leg will become an issue in terms of the physicality of the game.

'He has an amazing technique on his right-hand side but his left-hand side will start to hold him back.'

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