The design of the goalposts at Brunton Park are being questioned after the Grimsby Town goalkeeper received a serious injury against Carlisle United on Saturday.
Jake Eastwood was stretchered-off after Sam Lavell had given United the lead and now faces six months on the sidelines after surgery to repair his patellar tendon.
Eastwood, 27, slid into a goal post attempting to block Lavelle’s header and ruptured the patellar tendon in his knee.
Mariners head coach David Artell told BBC Radio Humberside: “You can’t have such a sharp piece of metal sticking out right behind the posts. These goals are widely used but it’s obviously a design flaw because that can’t happen.
“We now lose a goalkeeper for an extended period of time because of the design of a goal.
“If it’s any consolation it’s his knee and not his head, because it could have been absolutely disastrous.”
Grimsby had to bring on teenager Seb Auton for his senior debut and Grimsby went on to record a 3-2 win.
Having also lost Jordan Wright to a shoulder injury, Auton is the only keeper in the first-team squad ahead of Tuesday night’s game at league leaders Gillingham.
