DAMIEN Delaney’s football career was on the line when he suffered a serious reaction to a dead leg received in training.

The Ipswich Town central defender has since undergone two operations after developing a blood clot and is expected to be out of action for three months.

Losing a key player for the vital opening weeks of the campaign is bad enough, but Town manager Roy Keane said that it could have been a lot worse.

“It could have ended Damien’s career,” said Keane. “Very much so.

“He is a very lucky man and there was a lot of bleeding with the doctors needing to do some open surgery.

“Only being two minutes from Ipswich Hospital was a plus and Damien received the best attention from our medical staff at the training ground and of course at the hospital.”

The Irishman, who formed a secure central defensive partnership with Gareth McAuley for much of last season, was injured during a tackle on the Ipswich training ground on Thursday and remained in hospital while the Town party travelled to Holland for their 1-0 defeat to PSV Eindhoven on Saturday.

He carried on and after the session used ice to try and relieve the swelling.

But the situation worsened dramatically and after being rushed to hospital, Delaney underwent an immediate operation. He had a second operation on Saturday.

“His career has been saved,” added Keane. “But it is a very nasty injury.”

When asked if he will look to bring in a replacement, Keane said: “I think we might already have enough cover, but we will wait and see.

“Alex Bruce played on Saturday night and we have Tommy Smith and Troy Brown. But it is a major blow for us.”

n PSV v Town match report, Green’Un supplement inside, pages two and three