David Gibson , 28 , fractured his skull , nose and both eye sockets after he fell face first into a barrier at the side of the pitch after a horror tackle . A footballer fractured his skull , nose and both eye sockets after he fell face first into a barrier at the side of a pitch during a horror tackle . David Gibson , 28 , was playing for Felixstowe Harpers against Ipswich Valley Rangers in the Bob Coleman Cup quarter final when he careered off the pitch on Saturday . He was left completely unrecognisable following the incident , and was kept in hospital for two days as medics tended to his horrific injuries at Colchester General Hospital , Essex . The match was immediately abandoned when the forward was injured in the 24th minute while his helpless team-mates looked on . Former Ipswich Town right-back Kevin Steggles , the father of David's girlfriend , was at the match . Mr Steggles , 53 , said : 'It 's the worst thing I have ever seen . 'But at the end of the day it was an accident and it 's obviously a difficult time for all the family . ' Mr Gibson , of Ipswich , is in his second season at Felixstowe Harpers . Harpers manager Ian Watson branded the horrifying incident 'traumatic' but said the barrier surrounding the football pitch did conform to FA guidelines . Mr Watson said : 'It was traumatic . 'David stumbled into it at quite a pace although it was a normal challenge . ' But he stressed : 'If you can have a freak accident like this one just how dangerous are those posts ? ' Mr Gibson was playing for Felixstowe Harpers against Ipswich Valley Rangers in the Bob Coleman Cup quarter final when he careered off the pitch and into a barrier on Saturday . Ipswich Borough Council , which runs Gainsborough Sports Centre , has launched an urgent investigation . A council spokesman said : 'We have completed a report into the incident and it will now be investigated . 'We are just very pleased that Mr Gibson appears to be making a good recovery - and we send him and his family all the best . ' The match at Gainsborough Sports Centre , Ipswich , was immediatelyabandoned when the forward was injured in the 24th minute as his horrified team-mates looked on . Mr Watson added : 'The people who dealt with it at the scene were absolutely fantastic , including the managers and physios . 'The reaction from other clubs and players has been really overwhelming - that 's the good thing about local football . ' The game will be replayed on Saturday , March 28 .
David Gibson , 28 , left completely unrecognisable following the incident . He fractured his skull , nose and both eye sockets in the fall into barrier . The driver of the car was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving but has since been released without charge.