In a bizarre incident that has left many in the football world shaking their heads, former England international Andros Townsend came perilously close to injury on Saturday. The 35-year-old, who has played for PT Prachuap in Thai League 1, was warming up before a match at Pattani when disaster almost struck.
A member of staff lost control of the heavy pitch roller, and Townsend's left leg got briefly stuck under the vehicle. However, it appears that he managed to free himself without sustaining any serious harm. The incident occurred just hours before PT Prachuap went on to secure a 3-0 win over their opponents.
When asked about the close call, Townsend took to social media to make light of the situation. In an Instagram post referencing one of his previous posts, he quipped: 'It turns out Stoke away wasn't so bad after all.' The post was accompanied by a photo of himself in Thailand, highlighting the stark contrast between the sun-kissed Thai landscape and the often drizzly conditions at Stoke's Bet365 Stadium.
Townsend's wry sense of humor has not gone unnoticed. Fans and fellow players alike have praised his ability to laugh off even the most trying situations. His experience on the pitch is a testament to his resilience, and it seems that he is still going strong despite being in his mid-30s.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety protocols in football. While Townsend was fortunate to have escaped unscathed, the potential consequences of such an accident could have been severe. It's heartening to see that PT Prachuap has a robust system in place to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
