A footballer who suffered a brain injury when his head was brutally stamped on is risking his life to play the sport he loves.

Former Sutton United and Croydon Athletic Robbie Hughes needed four life-saving operations after he was attacked in Malia, Crete, on June 17.

Mr Hughes, 29, who was just about to sign for Bromley FC at the time, was later told by doctors he would never play football again.

But this week Mr Hughes was given permission to return to competitive football on the condition that he wears a protective headguard and accepts responsibility for any potentially fatal knocks to his skull.

Mr Hughes, of Wallington, made an instant impact on his return to action by setting up a goal for Bromley in a 3-0 away win against Carshalton.

But he was upset that some fans barracked him for looking wearing a protective skull cap similar to the one sported by Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Cech.

Mr Hughes said: “It does feel really good to be on the pitch as there was obviously big fears that I wouldn’t play again.

“There were a few fans shouting out at me ‘Peter Cech’ comments, it wasn’t nice but these people don’t realise that when you play your first game for over a year you play with quite a lot of fear.”

When Mr Hughes emerged from the coma paralysed he had to be taught to walk again but now says he is in the best shape of his life after undertaking a rigorous fitness and skills regime which sees him train around four hours a day.

The winger has now signed on a pay as you play basis for the Conference South side and is expected to play tonight against Reading and next week against Crystal Palace.

The midfielder still struggles with his memory and can hardly recall any of his life between the ages of 20 and 27.

Mr Hughes said: “It’s very hard but some memories are coming back to me.

“They say I played for Oxford United but I don’t remember playing any games.”

“I am in the best shape of my life now though and I think after what these people have done to me the best way to pay them back is to prove that I’ve still got it and to get on with my life.”

Bromley manager Mark Goldberg, formerly chairman at Crystal Palace, said: “Rob did very well especially considering that it was his first game back.

“He’s working extremely hard at the moment to build up his fintess and its fair to say he’s worked on his technical game more than any other amateur player or professional this pre-season.”

Mr Hughes’ mother Maggie, who has since launched a two-pronged campaign in his name to give more support to British citizens in crisis abroad and put an end to binge-drinking, said she was anxious about him playing but that she realised that football was “the only thing he lived for”.

She said: “I can’t take football away from him. Since he came out of the coma it is all that he has talked about and all that has kept him going, it’s his life.”

Meanwhile an early day motionraising awareness of the campaign led by Carshalton and Wallington MP Tom Brake has now topped 100 signatures.

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