NEWCASTLE star Shay Given's injury agony was as painful as someone pouring acid in his stomach.
The Republic of Ireland international was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after tearing his bowel in a collison with West Ham striker Marlon Harewood at Upton Park last month but it was not until he collapsed in the changing rooms that the seriousness of the injury was realised.
He said: “I felt a lot of pain as soon as Harewood hit me. I was very badly winded and was struggling to breathe. “I was stretchered off but thought it was easing. I got my breath back a little bit and felt it was just a very bad knock and I was winded.
“I had a shower and when I got out, I got hit by pain I have never felt before in my life in my lower abdomen.
“It is hard to explain how that pain was, but I passed out for nine or 10 seconds, probably from my body shutting down.
“The surgeon said it was like someone pouring acid into your stomach, that is the sort of pain I was feeling.
“I have had injuries before, but never pain like that, so it was pretty serious.
