Casper Wins Out Of Court Settlement

Last updated : 15 April 2004 By Rob Cooper
Chris Casper will be paid an undisclosed amount in damages by Cardiff City Football Club for a tackle by Richard Carpenter, then of Cardiff, that ended his playing career.

The former Reading defender, who was forced to retire from football two years ago due to injury, was pleased to have been awarded damages for the tackle that ended his playing career as he can now look to the future.

It is now four years since Casper played his last competitive game and he is now establishing himself as a coach at Bury, where he takes charge of reserve and youth team training sessions.

Chris Casper, a former Man Utd trainee, sustained a double fracture to his leg at Ninian Park, Cardiff, in a tackle with then-Bluebirds midfielder Richard Carpenter on Boxing Day 1999.

The match was held up for ten minutes whilst physios attended to Casper. After a two-year battle against the injury the Reading defender eventually called time on his playing career.

The settlement that Casper today reached with Cardiff City included payment for loss of past and future earnings as well as an award for the pain and suffering Mr Casper suffered as a result of the tackle.

Sports lawyer Jan Levinson, who negotiated the settlement, revealed he was very happy with the outcome.

"Although Chris obviously wishes that he had not sustained the injury, given the circumstances, we are delighted with the outcome and that, in the end, the case didn't have to go to court," he said.

"The award reflects the extent of Chris' career potential as a professional footballer before he sustained severe injuries as a result of the challenge four years ago."

Casper was a member of Man Utd's all conquering youth side of 1992 that included the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt. After failing to establish himself in the first team at Old Trafford, Casper moved to Reading in the summer of 1998 for a fee of £100,000.