Crawley striker Steve Burton today revealed how a double family tragedy almost made him quit football.

The 21-year-old came close to calling it a day at Scarborough earlier this season when his brother suffered brain damage after being hit by a car.

The accident came a year after Burton's spell at Doncaster was badly affected by the death of his father.

Burton is looking to rebuild his career at Crawley after joining two weeks ago.

He said: "I have had a pretty rough couple of years. I had personal problems when I was at Doncaster and Scarborough which was making me go off football.

"My dad died of cancer and then my brother got brain damage when I went to Scarborough. He is still recovering now. I went a bit AWOL and didn't really get any support from the manager.

"I found it hard to concentrate on playing and that is when I thought about quitting football altogether.

"I see it as a new start at Crawley and I'm enjoying it. I have settled in quite well and the way they play suits me so hopefully I can carry on doing well for the remaining games."

Burton has made a promising start at Reds. He has scored two goals in his first three games and been voted the supporters' player-of-the-month for April.

Burton believes he is beginning to rediscover the kind of form which made him highly regarded during his time at Championship club Ipswich.

He progressed through the youth ranks, playing alongside England under-21 international Darren Bent, before being released after the arrival of manager Joe Royle at the end of the 2002-03 season.

He moved to home-town club Doncaster but struggled to get into a team that won consecutive promotions from the Conference and Division Three.

Burton started just six games for Scarborough following his transfer last summer and was sent out on loan to Leigh RMI and Canvey Island.

He said: "I had a bit of hard luck at Ipswich. I was doing well under George Burley and then went on loan to Boston to get some games.

"When I came back the manager had gone and Joe Royle came in. He didn't see me as a striker for some reason.

"I was partnering Darren Bent and had always been a striker but he played me as a centre half which didn't work out. That is what happens sometimes in football. You just have to roll with the punches and keep strong mentally.

"I've been looking for a team that works well with me ever since then. Scarborough and Doncaster didn't really play to my strengths and I struggled to find the goals.

"Things have gone really well for me at Crawley, so the signs are good that I can carry on scoring goals. I am moving down south from Doncaster in the summer, which should make things easier for me, and I'm looking forward to next season."

Captain Ian Simpemba returns for tomorrow's home game against Exeter following a two-match suspension.

Defender Sean Hankin begins a two-game ban after picking up his tenth booking against Aldershot last week and Sacha Opinel is still suspended. Crawley still have a mathematical chance of reaching the play-off positions as they are nine points behind fifth-placed Aldershot with three games to play.

Exeter are four points adrift in ninth place and have lost just once in their last nine games. They have a problem in attack after top scorer Sean Devine left the club yesterday to join New Zealand Knights.