Ex-Hull man Danny East: I broke my neck at Portsmouth and told to retire twice - but I'm still playing

Danny East is approaching 100 appearances amassed in the five years since departing Fratton Park, each outing representing a significant landmark.
Danny East was the match winner at Northampton in April 2014, netting the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory. Picture: Joe PeplerDanny East was the match winner at Northampton in April 2014, netting the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory. Picture: Joe Pepler
Danny East was the match winner at Northampton in April 2014, netting the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory. Picture: Joe Pepler

The versatile performer had twice been informed he would never again play football during a demoralising Pompey stay.

Unconnected injuries sustained over separate Blues seasons had threatened to invoke premature retirement by the age of 22.

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Firstly there was a broken neck against Wycombe and then – eight months later – crippling pelvic and back problems which struggled to be diagnosed.

Danny East was told he would never play again after breaking his neck against Wycombe in December 2013. Picture: Joe PeplerDanny East was told he would never play again after breaking his neck against Wycombe in December 2013. Picture: Joe Pepler
Danny East was told he would never play again after breaking his neck against Wycombe in December 2013. Picture: Joe Pepler

The belligerent East repeatedly defied the doctors, however.

Following his Pompey release in July 2015, he had spells at Grimsby, Guiseley and Bradford Park Avenue.

Today East is registered with Alfreton Town, appearing 28 times and scoring once in this term's National League, before its abandonment.

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Now aged 28, there remains plenty of football left in the likeable former Hull man.

Danny East, seen here winning a header against Cheltenham, made 23 appearances for Pompey. Picture: Joe PeplerDanny East, seen here winning a header against Cheltenham, made 23 appearances for Pompey. Picture: Joe Pepler
Danny East, seen here winning a header against Cheltenham, made 23 appearances for Pompey. Picture: Joe Pepler

East told The News: ‘I was in QA Hospital and had been told I had a displaced vertebrae. I can recall them showing me the scans, with a bone clearly out of line.

‘The plan was to take me to Southampton the following morning to get it screwed into my neck. Naturally, I asked how long I would be out for.

‘The response was: “Look, if we do this then you won’t be able to play football again. But you don’t need to be thinking about that, instead concentrate on your health”.

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‘The injury happened while going up for a header against Wycombe in December 2013. The centre-forward backed into me, but I was that focused on winning the ball that it flipped me.

‘I couldn’t get my hands down in time and landed on my neck.

‘I attempted to get up, but our physio, Steve Allen, and the doc were already holding me, so I shouted “What are you doing? Get off me, I’m fine”.

‘They replied “No, no, no, you’re really not”. I wasn’t listening: “Honestly, I feel all right, just let me get up.”

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‘Then I began to feel a burning sensation on the back of my ear and incredible pain.

‘That evening, I received the worst news ever. My career was over. The doctor warned me the operation was risky and advised that my family should be contacted to come down and be there for me. They were in Hull – I was living down here by myself in Waterlooville.

‘I was given loads of morphine to cope with the pain. The nurse was a Pompey fan, I kept hassling her, pleading for more, I had to stop a horrible burning pain in the back of my head.

‘She wouldn’t give in, I was promising to sign stuff for her, just for more morphine!

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‘Then it was morning and, just before they were due to send me to Southampton for the operation, somebody suggested scanning me again.

‘I remember being in the CT scan contemplating what I was going to do now my football career was over. Perhaps I could go straight into coaching, I was keen to be as positive as possible.

‘Incredibly, they discovered the bone had gone back into my neck overnight. I must have jerked or something in my sleep, I don’t know, I was drugged up. I was so lucky.

‘They weren’t even going to rescan me, that’s the thing. I was about to be put into an ambulance and transferred. Then, for some reason, someone suggested “Let’s just rescan him first” and they did.

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‘Imagine if they had done it and I didn’t need it! I was like Lazarus!’

Incredibly, 22 days after being told he would never play again, East returned to Pompey’s side for the Boxing Day visit of Dagenham & Redbridge.

During his absence, he missed just two matches, both defeats, and, after proving his fitness in training, new boss Richie Barker threw the former Hull man in at right-back.

The outcome was a 1-0 Fratton Park win – the first of Barker’s reign.

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East finished that injury-hit campaign by starting Pompey’s final three matches under caretaker boss Andy Awford.

That spell included the winning goal at Northampton in April 2014, with the Blues’ Football League presence having already been declared secure following results elsewhere pre-match.

However, East’s problems continued during the 2014-15 campaign which proved to be his second and last at Fratton Park.

He added: ‘That second injury was the worst of my career, by far.

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‘The physio, Sean Duggan, had never seen it before. He eventually sat me down and said: “Look, it doesn't look good. It will be hard to come back from this”.

‘I even had the conversation with him about retirement and what the PFA could offer.

‘We played the Hawks in pre-season and I felt so good. During the game, I remember thinking how I was miles ahead of where I was at the end of the previous campaign. I had managed to get super, super fit.

‘I came off at half-time, as did the vast majority of the lads considering it was our first friendly. Yet I soon realised my pubic bone was hurting, despite never feeling anything during the game.

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‘Barry Harris offered to take me home to Waterlooville as it was on his way and, as I climbed out of his car at the top of the street, I was in so much pain.

‘I started to shout for his help – but he’s practically deaf, isn’t he! He drove off.

‘I had 200m to walk and rang Duggo: “I can’t walk, what’s up with me?”.

‘It was later discovered all four points of my pelvis had gone twang. There was degeneration in both hips, the L4 and L5 vertebrae in my back were out, I had pubic symphysis and there was also something wrong with my groin.

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‘Apparently my core was too strong for my pubic bone and back, so it was overcompensating for everything. Yet nothing could be done.

‘As a last resort, I visited this small and frail lady in Yeovil. She had a background in yoga and pilates and discovered a single muscle in my glute wasn’t working, causing an imbalance.

‘As I was quite quick as an athlete, everything went twang. If I was a steady Eddie who didn’t really change pace, you’d probably get away with it, but I was quick back then. It went bang, weird.

‘Eventually, through learning how to relax my posture and strengthen my glutes, I came back. Again.’

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Having arrived from Hull as a free agent alongside Sonny Bradley in May 2013, East totalled just 23 matches in an unfulfilled two-year Blues stay.

Yet he has continued to play football, despite continuing injury issues, reaching the National League play-off final at Wembley with Grimsby in May 2016.

Off the pitch, East has interests in his wife’s hair and beauty salon in Hessle, Hull, while in March 2019 launched a healthy eating business called Pheast, with boxer Luke Campbell as a partner.

In addition, East teaches coaching to BTEC Sport students at Wyke Sixth-Form College in Hull, while also overseeing the academy football team.

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And if that wasn’t diverse enough, he still maintains work as a personal trainer, having obtained the qualification during his Fratton Park days.

He said: ‘With all the injuries, I’ve had to cover my back, I’ve always thought about the next stage.

‘When I was younger, I heard the saying that football shouldn’t define you as a person – and that stuck with me.

‘Football is not the be-all and end-all. I love it to bits and enjoy playing, but you have to remember that you initially came into it purely as enjoyment.

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‘It is hard, but you have to look at the next thing. Maybe that’s why I am doing so much now. You must keep your mind occupied, but also have that down time.

‘Luckily, I’ve had some good times in football, but plenty of downs as well because of injury.

‘Some footballers just want to be a footballer – but there is so much more out there. Believe me.’

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