I almost had my leg snapped in two playing football – but referee brushed it off and gave a DROP BALL

A FOOTBALLER has blasted referees after claiming he was lucky not to break his leg when suffering a shocking injury and seeing only a DROP BALL given.

Tom Beere demanded a “serious discussion” on match officials as Cray Wanderers posted a photo of their sub’s gruesome gashes after he hobbled off following a fierce challenge at seventh-tier rivals Hornchurch.

Leg-injury victim Tom Beere was angry at the ref’s response

Some fans who saw a clip of a home player catching the midfielder reckoned it was a freak follow-through collision rather than a foul.

But Beere hit out on X: “We need a serious discussion about referees… if my leg was planted it would’ve been in 2 pieces but let’s all stick up for refs they got such a hard job.”

He was responding to a post from his own club Cray, who shared a photo of the injuries and added: “Ref said ‘He caught him on the ankle’ and then gave a drop ball.”

Some viewers reckon Beere’s cuts against the newly-crowned Isthmian League Premier Division champions would have been less severe had he worn traditional big shinpads.

But the ex-AFC Wimbledon youngster rejected that argument, saying the “only pad that’s stopping that is a cricket pad”.

However, one football supporter posted a video – reportedly of the incident – that divided opinion amongst viewers.

He wrote on X: “Seen some bad tackles and bad refereeing on here lately but this isn’t either of those surely … “

Another fan responded: “That’s a great challenge and notice how nobody complains about it.”

A third observer argued: “Looks ok, wouldn’t say it was a great tackle though.”

And a fourth commented: “Normal Jack Grealish leg after every match.”

Beere then took on fans online who backed ref Elliott Mayer’s decision over the challenge.

And asked if he would be a match official himself, the 29-year-old replied: “Wouldn’t want to be because I can play football.”

Beere later clarified he was more annoyed by “the referee reaction after and being arrogant and in denial to me and coaching stuff”.

One fan fired back at him: “Referees make mistakes and miss things or don’t act accordingly to a situation , possibly like you as a player ? Do you win every header ? Every tackle ? Take every chance in front of goal?”

But he insisted: “We as players acknowledge our mistakes the refs don’t, their arrogance is crazy.”

Ironically, Hornchurch’s 2-0 win had begun on a far more harmonious note – as Cray gave them a guard of honour for having already clinched the title.

Some fans incredibly told Beere to wear ‘bigger shinpads’