Aldershot Town's Lewis Kinsella has raised more than £11,000 to pay his club back after suffering a second serious knee injury in 12 months.
And the full-back has been helped in his quest to fund his operation by a £2,000 donation from his former Aston Villa team-mate Jack Grealish.
Kinsella, 26, was left in tears after rupturing his medial collateral knee ligament in his first game back earlier in September.
He now faces at least six months out.
Before the injury against Ebbsfleet United on 19 September, Kinsella had not played for the previous six months - but he has now raised £11,000 in less than a week to help National League side Aldershot pay for the operation and for his rehabilitation.