Four men convicted of brutally attacking a footballer on holiday in Malia will face a retrial at a Greek court today.

The family of former Croydon Athletic and Sutton United player Robbie Hughes returned to Crete this week to hear the appeals of Curtis Taylor, Daniel Bell, Sean Branton and Joseph Bruckland, who were found guilty of beating him into a coma three years ago.

They appealed the verdicts and their retrial had been scheduled for November last year before being delayed by a lawyers' strike in Greece.

NOVEMBER 2014: Date set for retrial of men convicted of attacking Sutton United and Croydon Athletic footballer Robbie Hughes

NOVEMBER 2012: Brutal attack on former Sutton United player sees four men convicted​

Maggie Hughes, Robbie's mother, has campaigned tirelessly for justice - and the rights of other victims of overseas crime - since her son was kicked, punched and slashed with a bottle by a group of men outside a nightclub in June 2008.

The assault, left him in a coma for two weeks and ended his football career, which also included a stint at Oxford United. 

Mr Hughes, now 35 and living in South Croydon, still suffers severe memory problems following the attack and struggles to recognise family and friends.

His mother, of Wallington, said: "It has been an immensely difficult seven years not only supporting Robbie but also striving for justice over this incident which has completely changed his life.

"This has been a long and drawn out process which has proved a distraction from our real focus – getting Robbie the help and support he needs to get the best from life. 

"We will tirelessly continue the battle for justice to ensure he is able to access vital professional support to aid his continuing recovery."

Taylor, Bell, and Branton, of Horley, Surrey, and Bruckland, of Hookwood, Surrey, were sentenced to four years in jail following the trial in 2012 but released on bail on appeal.

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Benjamin Herdman, left was cleared of any wrong doing but Taylor, Bell, Bruckland, and Banton were all found guilty

The men, all in their 20s, are not required to attend the retrial, in the Cretian city of Heraklion, and Mrs Hughes said she did not know if they would be in court.

The appeal hearing is expected to last two or three days.

Demetrius Danas, the family's lawyer, said: "Robbie’s family, and in particular his mother, have fought tirelessly for many years.  

"They have been back to Crete numerous times as they seek justice on Robbie’s behalf and hope that this latest appeal will be the last time that they have to contend with the criminal courts in Crete."

In the years since the attack, Mrs Hughes has successfully campaigned to change European law to allow families to better access to legal experts while abroad, invited to meet Prime Minister David Cameron at Downing Street, and named Tesco Mum of the Year in 2014.