Former Manchester United youngster Callum Gribbin remains hopeful he can continue playing football after raising £10,000 for surgery on a potentially career-ending injury.
Gribbin spent 11 years rising through the ranks at United and was once dubbed the 'next Ryan Giggs' due to his brilliant left foot and dribbling ability. Having played alongside Marcus Rashford in the academy, he garnered plenty of attention during a friendly for the under-13s against Ajax back in 2011.
But despite also impressing Jose Mourinho during his spell in charge at Old Trafford, Gribbin was released in 2019 after a number of injuries, spending time at Sheffield United, Barrow and Radcliffe before signing for his current club, FC United of Manchester.
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But after being on the end of a horror tackle while playing for Northern Premier Division side, the 24-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, medial ligament and posterior ligament - an injury that will require surgery.
The PFA will pay for 50 per cent of the surgery, but neither Gribbin nor United of Manchester could afford to stump up the remaining £10,000. The attacking midfielder set up a fundraiser in a bid to make up the difference by the March 17 deadline, and did so with two days to spare.
An update on the fundraising effort shared on March 16 read: "Thanks purely to your amazing generosity, Callum is now able to proceed with the operation and is now is preparing for that."
Gribbin, who faced between nine and 12 months out with the injury, thanked fans on Twitter writing: "Thank you so much to everyone who has donated."
Prior to the success of the fundraiser, a FC United of Manchester statement read: "Injuries are commonplace but sometimes the injuries are severe, affecting not only the player's ability to play football, but also their life outside including their family life and their ability to work.
"These ligaments provide stability to the knee and are devastating for anyone in terms of mobility, not least someone who relies on football as an occupation.
"We appreciate that times are hard for everyone, but if you can help by chipping in anything you can afford, no matter how small, it would help Callum through an incredibly tough period in his life.
"He wouldn't ask for this support himself - but he needs it more than ever."
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