A FOOTBALLER has appeared in court after shards of glass from a broken window almost blinded an opposition player.

William Seccombe is accused of wounding Ricky Spriggs and causing grievous bodily harm.

He denied the charge at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

Seccombe, 26, was playing for Stowmarket Town FC away at Halstead Town FC on April 16 in the Thurlow League First Division.

Halstead Town were celebrating a 3-2 win after the match when a changing room window was smashed from outside.

Several shards flew into the dressing room and a number of them pierced the eye of the PE teaching assistant, from Tiptree, who works at Ravens Academy, in Clacton.

Teammates and first aiders had to hold his eye open for almost 90 minutes to stop him blinking and causing irreparable damage to his eye.

He eventually required six stitches at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

Following the incident police were called.

Seccombe, of Kenton Road, Debenham, Stowmarket, was subsequently accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding a person and then charged.

Judge Jonathan Seely put the trial in the warned list meaning it is due to begin within three weeks of June 26.

Players and former players from both teams are expected to be called as witnesses.