​Darren Way, Yeovil Town’s road-crash victim, said that finding it too painful to play football with his young son convinced him to retire.

In December 2008, Way was the passenger in a white van that was in collision with a blue 4x4 on the A3088 Cartgate link road between Yeovil and the A303.

The midfielder was airlifted to Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, in a serious condition before being treated at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

His injuries included a broken left femur, broken left kneecap, broken and dislocated right elbow, broken and dislocated left hip, multiple fractures of right wrist, damage to right hand, ruptured left bicep, deep cuts to both shins and soft tissue damage.

Despite nine operations and recently returning to jogging, an emotional Way announced his retirement at Huish Park yesterday.

He will now officially become a technical coach with the Glovers, after assisting manager Terry Skiverton this season.

Way said: “It has been a long process from the day that I had the accident to where I am now. There has been a lot of trauma with that and I have had a lot of operations.

“I have had to deal with the mental aspect of that as well as the physical side. I have trained hard and it is not an easy decision to make.

“I have not cut any corners and I can put my hand on my heart. My family can see how hard I have worked so it has not been taken lightly.

“There have been times where I have been with my little boy just kicking a ball about and my right leg has been sore.

“My hip does not feel right and that is one of the main reasons why I have made this decision. As a footballer you obviously have to kick a ball and I cannot do that.”

The road traffic collision came just four months into Way’s second spell with the Glovers, after he left Swansea City in the summer of 2008.

“I have got to be positive about it and challenge myself in other ways,” he said. “If that means getting behind the gaffer and the football club 100 per cent I will give it my all.

“The chairman (John Fry) and (chief executive) Martyn Starnes have given me an opportunity to be part of the coaching staff. We are a young team and will do everything we can to be successful.

“I would never have thought that I would be doing this, going into a game preparing the lads.”

Way thanked Yeovil Town and the Professional Footballers’ Association for securing funds to aid his recovery.

He also revealed that he will be working more on his website www.playerfactor.tv, that hosts clips of budding young footballers.

He said: “This (decision) has caused me a lot of sleepless nights. Even though the fans were being great, just to put the question to me ‘are you going to play again?’ spiralled out of control.

“Just someone being nice to me, asking that question, was difficult.

“Despite knowing that I was working hard, deep down inside there was still that doubt.”