Parcial ACL Tear (washing out)

Hi about 14 months ago i tore my ACL. when playing football i jumped in the air and landed with my leg straight and it it buckled quite painfully, i went to the hospital and eventually got an MRI which was very expensive, the doc said that i did not need surgery and that physio is the way to go, (however he also said that half the patients he sends for physio end up back for surgery with full tears) any way i may have been a bit stupid and started playing football (for fun not matches) again after a month or two and had a problem with my knee washing out (but with hardly any pain) i went to the physio for about a month but then my medical aid ran out and could no longer afford it, i went off football for about 9 months after and have become very unfit, i recently started playing again and it seems better than before but every time i get hit from / tackled from the side, it seems to buckle but with no pain, i dont know if a knee brace will help? should i go back to physio? should i get the surgery? or can i just get back up to fitness at home?

Now you actually Tore your ACL? a full tear? and the surgeon said you didn't need the surgery?
At only 20 years of age, you need the reconstruct surgery, especially if you play sport.

No it was a partial tear, would it help if i posted the MRI results?. if i have the surgery, how long do you think the recovery time will be from walking to running to playing, as i am also a full time coach. thanks for your help i really dont want this problem forever.

Yea post the results of the MRI, that'd be awesome and I'll find and post for you a pretty standard timeline and exercise regime from ACL tear reconstruct.