Football: Smith still in intensive care

TOMMY SMITH, who was seriously injured in a car crash on the M58 near Skelmersdale on Monday night, is unlikely to be discharged from Ormskirk General Hospital until after the Easter holiday. Hospital staff are to make special arrangements to enable him to watch Liverpool on television in Friday's Premiership match at Old Trafford.

The 53-year-old Liverpool legend remains in the intensive care unit recovering from four broken ribs and a fractured collar- bone in the accident. He had to be cut free from car after it crossed three lanes of the motorway, overturned and came to rest on its roof on the grass verge.

No other vehicle was involved as Smith was heading to Sunderland for a speaking engagement.

The hospital was flooded with goodwill messages from fans. In a statement issued via Paul Ewart, the hospital's assistant chief executive, Smith said: "I am grateful for all the concern that everyone has shown."

Ewart added: "Tommy's condition is now stable and his injuries are not life threatening."

Liverpool FC issued a statement saying: "We are obviously extremely shocked to hear of Tommy's accident, and just thankful his injuries were not even more serious."

Smith who suffers from severe arthritis and walks with a stick. scored in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach in the 1977 European Cup final.