Andros Townsend escapes serious injury after accident with pitch roller
Andros Townsend experienced a frightening incident on Saturday when a pitch roller struck him during a warm-up session in Thailand, reports BritPanorama.
The 35-year-old former England winger was engaged in a passing drill with his PT Prachuap teammates at Tinsulanon Stadium prior to their Thai League One match against Pattani FC. As he drifted away from the group to execute an aerial backheel near the touchline, he inadvertently stepped into the path of an oncoming groundsman’s vehicle.
The roller collided with his legs, sending him crashing to the ground and rolling over his body before stopping near his hip area. The unsettling scene left his teammates and the crowd visibly shocked.
Remarkably, Townsend managed to extract himself from beneath the machine, sustaining injuries to his hip and thigh but thankfully avoiding serious harm. Demonstrating notable resilience, he later returned to the pitch as a stoppage-time substitute, contributing to PT Prachuap’s 3-0 victory — his third appearance for the club since signing earlier in the summer.
Footage of the unusual incident quickly gained traction online, sparking conversations about player safety and the unpredictability of pre-match preparations. Townsend, who has a notable history in the Premier League with clubs including Tottenham and Everton, had a brief spell in Turkey before joining the Thai league.
At 35, Andros Townsend is clearly unprepared to let an accident slow down his career, demonstrating both physical and mental resilience in the face of adversity, reminding us all of the unpredictable nature of sport.
