Louis Hollingsworth may not be seeing double any more, but the Whyteleafe defender is more relieved that his neck is no longer on the line.

The 26-year-old is recovering from being knocked unconscious and sustaining a deep cut above his eye during the Ryman Division One South draw with Redhill at the beginning of the month.

Hollingsworth remembers little about the incident, but looking back he realises how fortunate he is to be just sporting a neat row of stitches.

He said: “I didn’t really know where I was for a couple of days after the incident, I remember starting the match and then being in the ambulance, and that’s it.

“I was badly concussed so it is all about rest and relaxation now.”

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No memory: Louis Hollingsworth is taken to the waiting ambulance after being knocked unconscious in the draw with Redhill earlier this month

He added: “I had 12 stitches and a couple of black eyes, but most importantly there was no damage to my neck.

“The doctors told me there was a chance I could have broken a bone in my neck and I spent time in a neck brace.

“When I got the all-clear on that I was obviously very relieved. That would have been the end of my football, so I am glad it was just stitches and two black eyes.”

Hollingsworth is likely to be out of action for up to another three weeks while he waits for the skin above his right eye to graft together again.

“I have to wait for the skin to heal properly otherwise I’ll come back, head the ball, and it will split open, then it’s more stitches and here we go again,” he said.

“It’ll probably be two or three weeks, but I am looking forward to getting back playing because we’re doing so well.”

He added: “We’ve had a very good start to the season and we’ve played very well as a team.

“The unity in the squad is what gets us through games. If we have a bad game, we’re like brothers out there and you look after your brother.

“There is quality in there as well – we’ve scored some fantastic goals – but we’re gelling, we’re playing with a smile on our faces.

“There is a great vibe around the place. It is all around the changing room and the club.”

Whyteleafe will be hoping to take that “great vibe” to Redbridge this weekend in the FA Trophy preliminary round.