Clarke Carlisle: Wife hopeful of full recovery after accident

Clarke Carlisle was PFA chairman from 2010 to 2013

The wife of former footballer Clarke Carlisle is hopeful he will recover fully after he was involved in a collision with a lorry.

The ex-Professional Footballers' Association chairman, 35, was airlifted to hospital in Leeds after the accident on the A64 near York last Monday.

"Thank you for continuing messages of support and for media restraint," Carlisle's wife Gemma tweeted.

"Clarke still very poorly but we're hopeful he'll make a full recovery."

Carlisle, who is now a television pundit, made more than 500 appearances as a centre-back during a playing career spanning 16 years at nine clubs - Blackpool, QPR, Leeds United, Watford, Luton (loan), Burnley, Preston (loan), York and Northampton.

Married with three children, he retired in 2013 after Northampton were beaten by Bradford in the League Two play-off final.

He succeeded Chris Powell as PFA chairman in November 2010 and relinquished the role last year.

Now a football pundit, Carlisle left school with 10 Grade A GCSEs and has earned a reputation for his intelligence, appearing on the BBC's Question Time and Channel Four's Countdown.

Carlisle appeared on the Andrew Marr Show in June 2012