Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech thanked doctors and nurses at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital for their "hard work" in helping to save his career.

Mr Cech, 24, donated £1,000 to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital after being treated there in October for a serious head injury.

The Czech international, rated one of the world's best keepers, thanked everyone involved in his treatment while in the hospital, where he was taken after suffering a depressed fracture of the skull during a Premiership match against Reading.

He suffered the injury during a challenge by Reading winger Stephen Hunt.

Mr Cech said: "I'm very appreciative of all the hard work by the nurses and doctors that helped me, and would like to thank them for everything they did.

"Thank you to everybody who supported me the whole time I was in hospital. I say thank you to everyone who supported me on the way back."

Some of the staff who treated Mr Cech went along to Chelsea's Cobham training ground to meet Mr Cech and other players, and collect the cheque.

Directorate service manager of neurosciences, Siobhan Hurley, said: "We went up and met all the players and watched them train. Everyone was very friendly.

"Petr was just very grateful.

"The staff were very grateful to be recognised for their work. I think that he came to the best place he could have.

After his injury, Mr Cech was taken to Reading's Royal Berkshire Hospital for treatment, before being transferred to the John Radcliffe, where he was operated on by senior neurosurgeon Mr Richard Kerr. He spent six days on the JR's neuroscience ward.

Mrs Hurley added: "I would like to express that the great work done to Petr was no different from that given to any other patient. It's a big neuroscience centre and we treat patients from all over the country."

The money was raised from the sale of photographs of the Chelsea keeper following his recovery from the head injury, and will be put towards various projects within the neuroscience department.

Mr Cech also made donations of £1,000 to Reading's Royal Berkshire Hospital and to the Headway Brain Injury Association.

News of Mr Cech's donation came after the revelation that not a single player at Chelsea, which is considered to be one of the richest clubs in football, agreed to contribute to the May Day For Nurses campaign.

The scheme involved asking Premiership players to donate a day's wages to hard-up nurses. Of 556 players nationally asked to contribute, 225 agreed to help.