YORK City Knights RL Club boss Paul Broadbent's playing career might have come to a premature end after it was revealed he has suffered severe knee ligament damage.

The former Great Britain prop has admitted he will 'have to get his head round' the situation after being told by the specialist that he needs a knee reconstruction.

Broadbent turned 35 in May and, as it would take eight to 12 months to return to fitness following the operation, he would be 36 before getting back on the pitch.

"I don't know about the career yet, I still have to get my head around what to do," he told the Evening Press.

"It's a massive disappointment for me obviously and I'm pretty gutted about it. But it was just one of those things and there is nothing I can do about it.

"I knew there was something not right when it was giving me so much pain."

Knights chief executive Steve Ferres said the club would support him fully whether he decided to continue playing or hang up his boots.

"It's a devastating blow," said Ferres. "It might be such a blow that it terminates Paul's career prematurely. We will have to see.

"Paul being Paul will focus on what he's got to do and what he can do, not on something that is out of his hands.

"As regards his career, it's not an easy decision for him to make but he will take it as it comes and we will give him all our support."

Broadbent, who captained Sheffield Eagles to their historic Challenge Cup triumph in 1998, also played for Gateshead, Hull and Wakefield in 15 consecutive years of top-flight rugby, winning eight Lions caps and five England caps.

He suffered the injury when twisting his knee minutes after coming on as substitute in York's 48-28 win over Keighley at Huntington Stadium on Sunday - becoming the third Knights player in a matter of weeks to suffer severe knee ligament damage, following full-backs Matt Blaymire and Chris Smith.

He said he had felt a knee problem after the Knights' game at Barrow in late May - a day after his 35th birthday - but defended the decision to continue playing, saying it would have made no difference.

"I was not getting any pain and I had no reason not to play," he said. "Either way, the damage was done and I would still need the operation. Not playing would not have improved the situation."

Broadbent will undergo keyhole surgery next Thursday to clean out the knee and check there is no further damage. It would be several weeks before he could go under the knife and as such he is hoping to delay reconstruction surgery until the end of the season so he can continue his head coaching role without interruption as his team go in search of promotion from National League Two.

He will take his place in the dugout as normal for tomorrow's match at London Skolars.

Updated: 10:30 Saturday, July 19, 2003