A FOOTBALLER is a hat-trick hero - just 18 months after a serious accident almost claimed his life, writesIANMORGAN.

Paul Monteath (right) was the toast of Bartestree Football Club on Saturday after scoring three goals in their HFA Charity Bowl winover KingtonTown.

The 23-year-old was fighting for his life in April last year afteracar accident on the A4103 near Newtowncrossroads.

“It’s surreal to think that this time last year, I had a hole in my head,” said Paul, who lives in Bartestree. “When I was in rehabilitation, I wanted to know whether I was going to be back playing football and going to college in September.

“The psychologist just said ‘no’ but I was determined to prove him wrong. I got back to college at Holme Lacy and finished in Maythis year.”

Paul suffered multiple fractures to his skull in the accident and had a plate inserted in his head.

But the former Hinton striker loves to play football and returned to the field just 10 monthslater.

“I came back for the last eight games of last season and played for Bartestree,” said Paul, a big Burnley supporter. “When I returned to play, I thought there was no way I was going to get back to full fitness.

“A plate inmyhead is not something that ever crosses my mind when I amplaying. I amjust glad tobeback to normal.

“My manager at Bartestree at the time was Phil Andrews and helooked after me.”

Paul played cricket for Bartestree this summer before returning to his village football club for pre-season training.

He scored his first goal of the season against Fownhope but was dropped to the bench for last weekend’scupmatch.

Paul came into the fray after 30 minutes and hit a second-half treble in Bartestree’s 5-0 win.

Bartestree’s manager, Dave Cadwallader, said: “Some people were saying that Paul might never be able to walk again after the accident.

“He trained incredibly hard during pre-season. I thought that dropping Paul might fire him up abit-andit worked.”