Chris Basham opens up on Sheffield United future uncertainty after "worst nightmare" injury at Fulham

Chris Basham has admitted he is unsure whether he will ever play football again after the Sheffield United legend opened up about his horror injury sustained at Fulham last year. The 35-year-old was taken to hospital after damaging his leg and ankle and has since undergone three operations in a bid to correct the damage.

Basham was subsequently omitted from United's squad for the second half of the Premier League season and is out of contract in the summer, in what was supposed to be a season of celebration as he reached 10 years at Bramall Lane. Instead he is on the long road back to fitness, while menial tasks such as pushing a supermarket trolley are currently proving difficult.

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Basham has returned to United's training ground to begin the rehabilitation process and in an interview with Sky Sports, recalled of the Craven Cottage incident: "I can remember planting my foot in the wrong position. I remember falling to the ground and I heard a little crack, but I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was.

"I didn't really feel much pain at the time. It just felt like someone pouring hot lava on my leg. I was more worried about my family and kids watching and the impact it would have on them. It was obviously my worst nightmare. I'm five months down the line and it has been really, really tough. I was in hospital for a month and it has been tough on everyone."

Play at Fulham was stopped for almost 15 minutes while Basham received medical attention on the pitch before being taken to hospital, where he initially spent about a month before being discharged to his home in the north east. He was then recalled to hospital again after a setback, a process he admitted was tough on his wife and children who had expected their dad to be back home, and is currently unsure what the future holds.

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"The way that both Fulham and Sheffield United have been with me has been outstanding and I can't thank them enough," Basham added. "I had three operations. I can remember most of it but once I got to the hospital, they quickly put me on medication I've never had before to get my leg back inside my body. They restructured my ankle. I've had tightropes and metal plates put in and slowly I'm getting back on my feet.

"It could be career-ending, but I'm not sure yet. On a weekly and daily basis, I'm trying to get back to basic things. Just going around carrying a shopping cart is tough. Mentally I've been up and down. It has been great coming back to the training ground, but going in the gym and watching the lads train outside is like stabbing yourself in the heart. It's hard.

"It is so far away that I can't make that decision. Because of my age, it will be difficult. I get a lot of questions in the street. Who knows if I can get back to the elite football stage? But loads of people have come back from worse than this. So we'll see."