JOHN Filan picked up a special award from Wilkinson Sword yesterday to mark his outstanding performance at Aston Villa.

But the Aussie keeper is just happy to be fit and well after a serious injury scare in the last round of the FA Cup against Sunderland.

"I was flipped up in the air and when I hit the ground my legs were numb and I was worried about that," he said.

When they took me to hospital I had pins and needles in the bottom half of my body and I thought 'Oh God'.

"Hurting your spine is more worrying than a broken arm or leg."

Happily there was no serious damage and Filan is shaping up well for Sunday's fifth round tie at Newcastle.

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