Colleagues raise thousands to help footballer’s recovery

A popular youth footballer who suffered a life-threatening head injury in an incident on a Dundee street has “blown doctors away” with his recovery.

John Black, 20, from Blairgowrie, was taken to Ninewells Hospital following an alleged serious assault on Dundee’s Old Hawkhill in the early hours of October 8.

His sister Jenna has now revealed that he is “progressing really well”.

Speaking at a fundraising event held at Dundee’s BT West Bell Street branch, Jenna said: “John has now been moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital and is doing really well.

“He’s currently doing intensive therapy and he has a timetable of cognitive therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy.

“The neurosurgeon also thinks John could potentially get reconstructive surgery before Christmas. They thought it could be more than a year before they would be able to complete the surgery, so he is progressing really well,” she said.

At the fundraiser, organised by John’s co-workers at BT, seven colleagues were also brave enough to shave off their hair.

Kevin Cownie, 30, who has worked with John for almost a year, said: “John is always very particular about the way he looks, so we thought it’d give him a wee boost and cheer him up a bit.

“In total, nearly £6,000 has been raised.”

John is a former Dundee FC development squad midfielder. He left the club last year.

Robert Chambers, 23, has been charged in relation to the incident and faces a single allegation of assault to severe injury and danger of life.