Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman has relived his worst injury memory, after striker Lee Chapman slid in on him, and pierced his scrotum…
Some of you may not wish to relive the moment, I for one am squirming at the thought of the incident, but I will soldier on for you readers.
Seaman spent a glorious 13 years at Arsenal FC, winning three league titles in that time, but his latest podcast has revealed that it wasn’t all easy as he relived some of his worst injuries.
‘I’ve had all sorts of injuries,’ he stated.
‘The ball come across from my left on the ground and as I went out to get it, (Lee) Chapman has come to slide in as well to get it and he actually had his studs start on my knee and go right to my groin area.
‘I was in agony on the pitch and I remember it clear as day. I was laying in a crumple and I have got Gordon Strachan right in my face as I am laying on the ground and he goes, “get up you Southern softie!”
‘First of all I was more offended about being called southern and then as I moved my shorts there was a lot of blood on my underslip… around my you know what area.’
The club legend added that the actual injury came from one of the attackers studs piercing his sack.
‘What had happened was Chapman’s studs had actually gone into my scrotum, punctured my scrotum. And this was about five minutes before half-time,’ he added.
‘So Gary (the physio) came on, cleaned it up, stuck a load of vaseline and padding on it and kept saying “we’ll get you to half-time, we’ll get you to half-time”.
‘At half-time I didn’t even go into the dressing room, I just went straight to the medical room, got stitched back up and went out for the second half.’
This is an image I’m trying my darnedest to remove from my brain, but how amazing that Seaman was able to carry on and see out the match.
I struggle to believe that players in today’s game would have carried on, at risk of further damage to the area.
Does the injury sound worse than it was? Would Leno have taken such an injury in his stride?
Patrick
