Former England international Andros Townsend has opened up about a frightening incident in which he was run over by a pitch roller during a pre-match warm-up in Thailand.
The 35-year-old, who previously played in the Premier League for Tottenham, Crystal Palace, and Luton Town, now turns out for Thai League 1 club PT Prachuap. The accident occurred in Pattani on Saturday when a staff member appeared to lose control of the heavy machine while Townsend was preparing for the match. His left leg was briefly pinned beneath it, though he escaped without major injury and even came off the bench later as PT Prachuap secured a 3-0 win.
Discussing the ordeal for the first time on Piers Morgan's Football Uncensored, Townsend admitted he still finds the footage difficult to watch, saying he considers himself lucky that he fell in a way that prevented any fractures. He recalled noticing two rollers near the pitch beforehand and thinking their presence was unusual, but didn't think much of it until the machine was suddenly on top of him.
Townsend explained that he managed to use his arm to ease the pressure and free himself with help from teammates, who were startled that he carried on training afterward and urged him to seek medical attention. He was especially concerned for his left knee and ankle, both of which have needed surgery in the past, admitting he briefly feared the worst.
Despite the scare, the 13-cap England winger has vowed to continue playing and later poked fun at the incident on Instagram, joking that his rough away trips to Stoke's Bet365 Stadium suddenly didn't seem so bad after all.
No comments: