A former professional footballer has delivered a powerful testimony, stating that a disgraced neurosurgeon effectively "took my life away" after a failed operation that ended his playing career.
A Promising Career Cut Short
Iain Jenkins, now 53, enjoyed a career that saw him play for clubs including Everton, Chester City, Dundee United, and Shrewsbury Town, while also earning caps for Northern Ireland. His move to Dundee United in 1998, however, was marred by the onset of lower back problems. This led to a referral to the private Fernbrae hospital in Dundee, where he came under the care of neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel.
Recalling his first meeting in 1999, Jenkins described Eljamel as charming and professional, instilling confidence. "You put your trust in these professional people," Jenkins told BBC Radio Scotland. The surgeon outlined a procedure with a 70% chance of success, and Jenkins, having had previous operations during his career, placed his faith in the diagnosis.
The Surgery and Its Devastating Aftermath
Following the operation in 1999, Jenkins's condition deteriorated rapidly. "I started deteriorating quite quickly," he said, describing failed fitness programmes and a loss of form that ultimately led to his release from Dundee United. A subsequent move to Shrewsbury Town was overshadowed by "major problems" down his entire left side.
Despite two further surgeries in England aimed at rectifying the damage, a top surgeon delivered the crushing verdict: "Iain, your days are numbered, you're not going to come back from this." Jenkins was forced into retirement from all levels of football. The connection to Eljamel only became clear later. "He operated on my spine and two years later I was retired... He's took my life away from me, he stole my living," Jenkins stated.
Demanding Answers in a Public Inquiry
Sam Eljamel's practice is now the subject of a major public inquiry. The surgeon, originally from Libya, was head of neurosurgery at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital from 1995 until his suspension in December 2013. He resigned in May 2014 and removed himself from the medical register in 2015, and is believed to have returned to Libya. Concerns have been raised that he may have harmed as many as 200 patients, with some suffering life-changing injuries.
For Jenkins, who now works as an elite performance coach, the inquiry is a chance for long-overdue answers. "I just want to see answers really, I don't want to see apologies," he insisted. He questions why Eljamel was allowed to "play Russian roulette on my spine." Jenkins also revealed the daily personal toll, saying he is in constant pain and has missed out on key moments with his growing children due to his condition.
His private anguish has now turned to public anger. "He's took my dignity, he's took my pride away from me, he's took my livelihood... so, yes, I am extremely angry and annoyed," Jenkins said, hoping his testimony will help secure justice for himself and the many other alleged victims.
