CAL Brown sits at home contemplating the future without the sport he

loves -- ice hockey. But the 25-year-old Kinghorn-based Canadian is

happy to hang up his skates. In fact, he is delighted to be alive.

The Fife Flyers player developed a large blood clot on his brain after

an accident during a challenge game at Billingham early last month.

Following a life-saving operation doctors have told Brown, who was the

highest-scoring defenceman in Division 1 last season, that playing again

is not on.

The recovery process will be lengthy and the player admitted: ''I

can't fly home until near Christmas because the pressure in the plane

could have nasty consequences. After that I'll think about what I'm

going to do. I can't even drive a car for a year.''

Until he returns to North America, Brown will spend much of his time

writing letters to fans from all over Britain who have sent kind wishes.

''The fans have been great,'' he said, ''and so were the doctors and

nurses who looked after me in Middlesbrough.''

Brown's former team-mates at Fife are helping his recovery process by

mounting a strong challenge in the Premier Division. Jim Lynch's side

maintained pole position after Saturday's games, thanks to an 8-4 home

victory over Humberside which completed an early-season double over the

Englishmen.

Murrayfield Racers crashed 8-4 at Bracknell on Saturday, but bounced

back last night with an 11-5 win at Peterborough.

Premier Division -- Bracknell 9, Murrayfield 4; Fife 8, Humberside 6;

Billingham 11, Durham 11; Nottingham 13, Peterborough 5; Cardiff 13,

Whitley 4; Durham 5, Bracknell 4; Humberside 4, Billingham 6;

Peterborough 5, Murrayfield 11.

Division 1 -- Swindon 5, Basingstoke 10; Telford 16, Lee Valley 12;

Romford 9, Slough 4; Lee Valley 8, Swindon 10.

Scottish Division 1 -- Castlereagh 10, Aviemore 6.