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The inspiring story of Neil Sachse sadly comes to an end

The football world mourns the loss of Neil Sachse who was left a quadriplegic in just second his game for Footscray

Former Footscray player Neil Sachse. Picture: From the cover of the biography Playing On

NEIL Sachse - who suffered a severe spinal cord injury in just his second game of VFL football for Footscray - has sadly passed away at age 69.

After a glittering start to his career for North Adelaide in the SANFL, Sachse crossed to the Bulldogs for the 1975 season.

During his second game, he collided with a Fitzroy opponent which left him a quadriplegic in a devastating end to his playing career.

In 1994, Sachse founded an organisation to raise funds for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

It was later named the Neil Sachse Foundation and it has raised millions of dollars for research.

In 2015, Affirm Press released his biography, Playing On, with a photo of Sachse on the cover holding his No.6 Footscray jumper (see above).  

Prior to arriving at the Bulldogs, Sachse was a premiership star with North Adelaide.

He played 89 games and kicked 114 goals for the Roosters in five seasons from 1970-74, and represented South Australia on five occasions.

In 2009, Sachse was presented with the South Australia's Premier's Award for Outstanding Community Achievement.

In a statement on the Western Bulldogs' website, the club says "its thoughts are with the Sachse family during this sad time".

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Read the full article on AFL.com.au