Fans raise thousands to save footballer's career

A footballer who suffered two career-threatening injuries in a year says the support he has received "means more to me than people realise".

Zac Smith, 25, from Stroud, suffered from two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in a row and has not played a competitive match for non-league Bath City FC since August 2024.

The semi-professional player launched a crowdfunder to pay for private surgery after finding out the NHS waiting list was more than a year, which would have increased his recovery time to more than two-and-a-half years.

Responding to the £16,000 that has since been raised, Smith said: "This community and the support I've received - I could have never imagined it."

A former Bristol City Youth Academy player, Smith signed for Bath City FC from Taunton Town at the start of the 2024/25 season.

He picked up his first ACL injury on his debut for Bath against Boreham Wood.

After spending nearly a year coming back to full fitness, he later suffered a worse version of the same injury warming up for a pre-season friendly in 2025.

"I spent most of the rehab the first time thinking the worst thing that could happen was for it to happen again. To actually go through that was very tough," Smith said.

In order to potentially make a full recovery, Smith was told he needed surgeries on his knee and surrounding area at a cost of nearly £20,000.

A fundraising page set up to help him later raised more than £16,000 towards the costs.

"What happened was just shocking and I think everybody just felt for him," said Bath City fan and fundraiser Jayne Smith.

"We've just done everything we can to support him. He couldn't quite believe how quick [the total] went up and I said it's down to you and the person you are - that's why people have donated," she said.

Fifteen-year-old George, who works at the club, decided to run a marathon to help raise money.

"It's a community club. They appreciate the players and they appreciate the time they put into it," he said.

"I think people really appreciate Zac and the struggles he's been through."

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important band of connective tissue in the centre of the knee that helps to keep it stable.

When the ACL is injured it can cause pain, swelling and a feeling of the knee 'giving way', making it difficult to bear weight or participate in activities - particularly sport.

If a footballer partially tears or ruptures their ACL, it often leads to them missing most - and in some cases, all - of a season, typically requiring six to nine months on the sidelines.

Smith, who lives in Portishead, said he was looking forward to getting back to work as a coach at Bristol City as well as a mentor at schools, using PE and football to help children who need extra support.

"To get back to my job and get back to playing football and the things I love because of the people that have supported me means more to me than people will ever realise," he said.

Smith added he was hopeful he could be back to playing football in 2027 if his recovery goes well.

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