ARTHURLIE manager Stevie Kerrigan admits he fears Craig Palmer’s football career is over but insists the defender’s recovery is the only concern for the Barrhead club.

Palmer was seriously injured after being trapped between a van and another reversing van on a construction yard in Glasgow, where he was employed as a roughcaster, last month.

He was placed into intensive care at the Queen Elizabeth University hospital after the incident and underwent surgery on his pelvis and bladder, he has now returned home to recover.

Kerrigan admitted it has been difficult for the club to focus on football in recent weeks as teammates and staff worried about the 31-year-old’s condition.

The manager said it was unlikely the left back would ever return to football but the club would be fully behind him on his long road to recovery.

He said: “I don’t think Craig will ever play football again, which is really unfortunate for the club and Craig but the main thing he is getting better. Craig is back with us which is more important than anything else.

“It is certainly a massive loss to me and to Arthurlie just now. He’s probably the most experienced left back in the league and he’ll be very hard to replace.”

On the pitch Lie lost 2-0 to league leaders Kirkintilloch Rob Roy at Dunterlie on Saturday. Kerrigan insists his side can’t afford to continue to pass up chances and he revealed he warned his players about their discipline after a spate of red cards, only to see Ryan Deas and Graham Girvan ordered off.

He said: “We had more and better chances than them and end up losing. We’ve had two players sent off, we’re getting red cards most weeks. We’re getting killed with suspensions on top of injuries. I spoke to the players about it before the game on Saturday and we end up with two reds.”