A MARLOW mum has called on amateur footballers to stop wearing bladed boots.

Janet Risbriger has branded the trendy new soccer shoes dangerous and says their place should be in the dustbin.

Her son 23 year-old Gareth, a former professional foot-baller with Yeovil and Southend, hasn't played since he was injured by an opponent's bladed boot on January 17, 2004.

The boots have become the latest fashion fad on the field because they are meant to give better grip.

But Risbridger's knee was ripped open to the bone during the match when he was playing for Staines Town, and six operations and thousands of pounds later he still has not been able to play again.

Mum Janet said: "He went into a tackle and slid into his opponent's bladed boots. It cut him through to the bone. The doctors said it looked like he had been in a road traffic accident and not on a football field.

"The boots are designed to grip the ground, but when they go into someone's skin they grip that as well until it rips."

Now she campaigns to raise awareness of the danger of the boots and with the High Wycombe Sunday Combination and Wycombe District leagues starting last weekend, as well as the youngsters returning to school she wants players and their parents to bin them.

She said: "It amazes me that players are made to tape up their ear-rings and rings, yet they have got these blades on which are nearly as sharp as razor blades.

"If one child had been injured by a toy, that toy would have been taken off the market, but these boots are still on sale and people are still buying them.

"My son is not the only victim. One guy almost lost his eye. It frightens me. Imagine what would happen if a goalkeeper comes out on the ground and gets caught in the face by one of these boots."

Her son, who still lives in Marlow, has had three operations on the NHS and has now had to pay to go private in a bid to get playing again.

He used to be a football coach and was hoping to return to the professional game but he hasn't even been able to work since the accident.

Other player have even been injured wearing their own bladed boots.

Wycombe's Joe Burnell was injured last season after his blades gripped the ground too hard and when he tried to turn his boot wouldn't go with him.

Mrs Risbridger said: "They can injure you and they can injure your opponents. They are supposed to be the best boots but the best place for them is in the dustbin."

But boot manufacturers hit back, saying bladed boots are not dangerous. A spokesman for Adidas said: "Before we introduce any new boot to the market we spend considerable time researching and developing all elements of the product.

"This includes extensive testing by independent laboratories and field testing with players of all levels and aptitudes.

"Both are necessary to ensure that our boots meet international safety standards and perform at the very highest level."

He went on to point out that FIFA have also concluded that bladed boots are: "no more dangerous to other players during matchplay than other traditional soccer outsoles."