By Mark Sugar
May 12 2004

Royals defender Steve Brown has told the Reading Evening Post how his current injury could force him to retire from football.Brown has been plagued for over 6 months now with the injury and despite having surgery twice,it may not be enough.

Royals defender Steve Brown has said his career is on the line as he battles with a knee injury which has plagued him all season. Brown has had 2 operations on his right knee this season and has managed only 21 appearances.

Speaking to the Reading Evening Post, he said;

“The surgeon wasn’t too impressed with the state of the knee when he repaired my cartilage last time.

“There are some doubts as to how it will react when I start my training programme in the summer.

“He hasn’t said anything concrete like ‘you will have to give up’. But he was sitting on the fence which is slightly worrying and it leads me to believe that he expects something to go wrong with it.

“It has gone through my mind that I might have to quit playing.

“After the second operation I just expected to wake up and everything would be fine, but there are doubts.

“I am literally waiting to be able to start training. I might be worrying about nothing, but I won’t know until I start the training programme.”

He hasn't played since the 2-0 home defeat to Sunderland. This was because Adie Williams was out injured while Ricky Newman was forced to play left back because Nicky Shorey had been ruled out injured for the season with a foot infection.

Brown has been at Reading since December 2002 after he signed from Premiership side Charlton Athletic. He had been at the Valley for over 10 years and was the captain.

He has only scored 1 goal since moving, which was a 20 yard drilled free kick Vs Crystal Palace.

Royals Manager Steve Coppell will be looking to get another defender in the summer. His move for Crystal Palace defender Darren Powell was put on "hold" because of injuries. He has also been linked with Luton Town defender Emerson Boyce.