Supporters of a North East football team have created a fundraiser after a player was rushed to hospital with a bleed on his brain.

Paddy Almond was rushed to a London hospital after suffering a suspected concussion during Saturday afternoon’s FA Trophy defeat at Southend United.

He remains at the Royal London Hospital, at the time of writing, though it is now hoped surgery will not be required.

Now, supporters and fans have launched a fundraiser for the Darlington footballer to help out with out-of-pocket expenses for him and his family.

The fundraiser currently has a goal of £4,500 and has so far reached £3,680 already.

Almond's family have thanked people for their support and messages of goodwill after the incident.

A spokesperson for Darlington Football Club said: “Paddy and his family are very grateful for all the messages of goodwill from throughout the world of football, and as a club we have been most touched by all the support for him.

“The football world has truly come together, rivalries have been set aside.

“Our physio Danny O'Connor - one of several people to whom everybody is grateful - is now back home in the North East and keeping in touch with Paddy and his family.

“We will keep everybody updated.”

Quakers boss Alun Armstrong signed Almond on December 13, with the 20-year-old defender, released by Sunderland last year, returning to the game having been involved in a car accident in June.

He recovered from a bleed on the brain after the car accident and began training with Darlington in November.

Armstrong has been in regular contact with Almond since Saturday, and revealed: “He’s worried a lot about football and that’s understandable, but all that matters now is his health. That’s what I said to him, ‘football goes on the backburner now, son’.

“His parents travelled down from Morpeth first thing on Sunday morning, and obviously they’ve been through this before with him. It must be horrible for them.

“I was panicking and worried for the him after what he’s already been through. Obviously I’ve got kids myself and it makes you think. I’ve seen players have concussions and head injuries, but not something like this.

“I couldn’t even concentrate on the last half an hour of the game after he was subbed. I was sending some of the subs into the changing room to find out how he was doing. Someone said he was getting better, but I said we had to get an ambulance for him, there was no way he was coming back on the bus.

“I will say a massive thanks to the Southend medical staff, they were a great help.”

After Darlington lost the fixture 2-1, the team coach went to Southend General Hospital where Almond was accompanied by club physiotherapist Danny O’Connor.

Almond was then transferred the Royal London around midnight, with O’Connor again alongside him, and he underwent a second brain scan while surgery was initially anticipated.

“The bus went to the hospital until we knew what was going to happen,” explained Armstrong. “We didn’t get back to Darlington until about 1am.

“I kept in contact with him until about 2am trying to keep his spirits up. He’s a good kid. We were all worried sick for him on the way home.

“Paddy wasn’t in a good way and Danny was worried. Danny was sending me updates and they weren’t great at some points to be honest. It was harrowing.

“But luckily enough we were able to get him to the right place. Thank God we were so close to a hospital that could deal with the situation.”