Footballer, 21, who nearly died after being stabbed three times in a park ready to embark on Champions League adventure

A FORMER Aston Villa starlet who was left fighting for his life after being stabbed THREE times is now preparing for Champions League action.

Brad Young was only 17 when the horrific attack occurred at a park in Solihull in May 2020.

The striker required life-saving surgery after he was left with a 12cm knife wound and required three blood transfusions.

Now, four years later, he is preparing to lead the line for Welsh club The New Saints in the Champions League qualification rounds.

Recalling the horrifying night of the attack, he said: “I was in a park with my friends and a random group of lads approached me, attacked me and tried to rob me.

“I fought back, the guy that punched me in my face had me in a headlock and I just felt something weird in my back. I let go, looked down and saw I’d been stabbed three times.

“I called the ambulance and then collapsed to the floor. They rushed me into hospital and they didn’t know what was going to happen, one of the stab wounds hit an artery and I lost a lot of blood.

“It was 12cm deep and I needed three blood transfusions, that’s what saved my life.

“Then I had to wait for the surgery and as I was lying there I was asking whether I could play football again.”

He continued: “At that age I was messing about and going out, I wasn’t taking football seriously, I was partying, normal stuff 17-year-olds do, but not normal for a footballer to do.

“If anything it was a good thing and it opened my eyes up for what I really wanted to do and what I had been working all my life to do.

“It just woke me up and realised I had to stop messing about and knuckle down. I am proud of myself.”