Lee Martin’s Freak Golf Injury:
Lee Martin was temporarily blind in one eye due to an unusual golfing accident. The winger, who was a significant signing from Manchester United during the Roy Keane era, experienced a severe injury while playing golf in 2011. Martin said, “A few hours later I was totally blind in my right eye. One of my mates is a doctor and he was worried because my eye had turned totally black, not just the pupil but the whole eye. It was a very worrying time but fortunately there is no lasting damage.”
Lee Beevers’ Unfortunate Pram Incident:
While playing for Colchester United, Lee Beevers injured his hand in a pram’s mechanism. Beevers was already sidelined with a shoulder injury and chronic knee issues for almost his entire debut season with the U’s. In September 2010, he suffered another setback when he tripped while carrying his daughter’s pram upstairs, badly trapping his hand in the process. A visit to A&E diagnosed a dislocated metacarpal, and he was put in a cast immediately.
Kieron Dyer’s Training Ground Mishap:
Kieron Dyer had a bizarre injury during a training session with Newcastle when he collided with a pole, which sidelined him for two weeks.
Richard Wright’s Series of Accidents:
Richard Wright endured two unusual injuries during his tenure at Everton. In 2003, he injured his shoulder after falling out of his loft. In 2006, he hurt his ankle during a pre-game warm-up by tripping over a large wooden sign advising keepers to use nearby temporary nets.
Santiago Canizares’ World Cup Setback:
Santiago Canizares, at the age of 32, was Spain’s No. 1 goalkeeper heading into the 2002 World Cup when he suffered a severe accident. The Valencia keeper said, “I accidentally smashed a bottle of aftershave in the sink of my hotel room, and a shard of glass dropped to the floor, severing a tendon in my right foot.”
Steve Morrow’s League Cup Celebration Misfortune:
Steve Morrow broke his arm when Tony Adams accidentally dropped him while celebrating a League Cup victory in 1993. Morrow missed the rest of the season, including the FA Cup final.
Charlie George’s Gardening Accident:
Charlie George, the long-haired Arsenal legend of the 70s, lost a finger while gardening later in his career. George said, “I lifted the mower up to clear some grass from the blades when it moved and chopped off my index finger. I suppose I’m lucky that I didn’t lose my hand. I guess now I won’t be able to take a throw-in, or put two fingers up at people anymore!”
Victor Adeboyejo’s Powerful Sneeze:
Bolton striker Victor Adeboyejo injured his ribs due to a powerful sneeze. His manager commented, “Victor is a powerful boy, and even his sneezes are powerful.”
Rio Ferdinand’s TV Leisure Injury:
Rio Ferdinand, who became the world’s costliest defender when he joined Leeds for £18m in November 2000, sustained an unusual injury while watching TV. Boss David O’Leary explained, “He had his foot up on the coffee table. It was in a certain position for a number of hours and strained a tendon behind his knee.”
Dave Beasant’s Salad Cream Incident:
In 1993, veteran goalkeeper Dave Beasant ruled himself out for eight weeks after severing the tendon in his big toe by dropping a bottle of salad cream on his foot.
Darius Vassell’s DIY Mistake:
Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell missed three games in 2002 following a DIY mistake. He tried to relieve swelling in his toe by drilling through the nail, which led to an infection.
Liam Lawrence’s Nighttime Injury:
In 2008, Stoke midfielder Liam Lawrence injured his ankle when he fell down the stairs after tripping over his pet Labrador during the night. Lawrence explained, “It was in the middle of the night, the dog lies on the stairs and I didn’t see him. I’m sure the gaffer won’t be best pleased.”
Phillipe Mexes’ Sunbed Sickness:
Phillipe Mexes was unable to participate in AC Milan’s game against Celtic in 2013 due to an unusual eye injury. He said, “I had hurt my eyes from spending too long in a sunbed.”
David Batty’s Toddler Accident:
Former Leeds and Blackburn midfielder David Batty re-injured his Achilles tendon after being run over by his toddler on a tricycle.
Darren Barnard’s Indoor Slip:
Former Barnsley midfielder Darren Barnard was sidelined for five months with a torn knee ligament after slipping in a puddle of his puppy’s urine on the kitchen floor.
Shinji Kagawa’s Overindulgence Illness:
In 2013, Manchester United’s Japanese international Shinji Kagawa missed a game against Newcastle under peculiar conditions. Boss David Moyes explained, “It was a bad sickness. He thinks he ate too much and he had to get his stomach pumped.”
