FORMER Cinderford Town manager Chris Price (pictured) is seriously ill in Australia after being caught in a rip current and dragged out to sea.

Price, 50, was playing football with his youngest daughter on a beach near his home in Brisbane when he was engulfed by a wave.

He was eventually found by his daughter and her boyfriend, face down in the water and not breathing.

While the beach lifeguards worked to resuscitate him, he suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was taken to the Gold Coast Hospital by ambulance and immediately put on life support in the acute care unit.

After showing good signs of recovery, the former Aston Villa and Blackburn full-back was allowed home, but he subsequently contracted pneumonia as a result of the amount of sea water in his lungs. He remains on medication, unable to walk and facing a long road back to full health.

Chris sent a message to old pals, saying: "I'm shocked that the news has managed to get around so fast but unfortunately it's all true.

"I'm still not able to walk but I'm gradually getting there. I did stop breathing and my heart did stop but thanks to the efforts of the life guards they brought me back round.

"Thank you for all your ongoing support, there's still a long way to go but I'm getting there, thanks everyone."

Daughter Natasha – who has suffered serious health problems herself in recent years – said: "There's no doubt dad is lucky to be alive, and that the whole family is lucky to be together.

"The only thing that matters right now is to get dad back to full health."

Chris Price started his football career with Hereford United, where he remains a club legend as an attacking full-back.

After 10 years at Edgar Street, he played at the top level with Blackburn and Aston Villa.

In the mid-1990s he joined Cinderford Town where he was an instant hit. He was a big part of the successful team that got to within a game of the FA Cup Third Round.

He subsequently managed Cinderford Town, before getting sacked in the late 1990s.

He also had a spell managing Ross Town in the Hellenic League. He emigrated to Spain and then Australia.

Daughter Natasha went blind overnight and became unable to move from the waist down after suffering from two extremely rare illnesses.

She was hospitalised in the UK for eight months, with her parents unable to visit because they were in Australia.

Cinderford Town chairman Ashley Saunders was shocked to hear about Price's scare.

He said: "I've not spoken to Chris in a while, but he had quite a few good years here and was a very nice, down to earth man. We obviously send him our very best wishes."