Alan smith

by bullvox • 23 Feb 2006, 17:24 • Journals
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QuoteSmith fights for his career after horror injuries...

AGONY!

By Rob Beasley

STRICKEN Alan Smith cries out for help on the Anfield turf after a sickening freak injury left him fighting to save his career.

The England international broke his left leg and dislocated his left ankle in a horrific accident in the dying minutes of Manchester United's FA Cup fifth-round defeat by Liverpool.

He needed oxygen on the pitch as his mangled leg was placed in an inflated splint before he was carried off on a stretcher in agony and rushed straight to a Liverpool hospital for emergency treatment.

There, being comforted by his mother, doctors re-set his ankle but the 25-year-old faces a career-saving operation at a Manchester hospital this morning.

There are fears for his future as shocked Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted: "It is the worst injury I have ever seen and all the players are very upset.

Serious

"You could tell from the reaction of Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar that it was very serious.

"It reminded me of that awful incident a few years ago when Coventry's David Busst broke his leg.

"And it certainly puts the game into perspective, that's for sure.

"It is really bad and Alan has gone straight to hospital. He's broken his leg and dislocated his ankle.

"But he's a brave lad and we're all behind him."

Smith's agent Alex Black added: "Alan's mum went with him to the hospital.

"He is OK in himself and we hope the injury is not career-threatening but we don't yet know the consequences of the two injuries together.

"He will need an operation on his broken leg, hopefully in Manchester tomorrow."

It was a shocking moment but the United substitute was purely a victim of his own bravery.

He had only been on the pitch for 13 unlucky minutes when he charged forward to block a powerful shot from Liverpool's John Arne Riise.

Smith's outstretched right leg did deny Riise's attempt on goal but his left leg collapsed awkwardly underneath him and he sank to the deck, waving frantically for help.

Team-mates Neville, Van der Sar and Wes Brown raced to his side and were clearly horrified by the injury.

But sick Liverpool fans revelled in Smith's distress. They chanted: ‘John Arne Riise-I want to know how you broke his leg.' It was disgraceful but United skipper Neville confessed: "You expect this when you come to Liverpool. You know you are going to be given a tough time.

"What do you expect Liverpool fans to do? Smile and say: ‘Go on lads, enjoy yourselves?' No chance.

"It is part of football and you have to accept it."

Neville was booed throughout the game and had a half-eaten hamburger hurled at him as payback for overcelebrating Rio Ferdinand's last-gasp winner against Liverpool last month.

He added: "It has been a bad day all round but all our thoughts are with Alan."

There were a flurry of crowd disturbances at the final whistle in the corner of the ground where United's 6,200 fans were congregated.

But Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez claimed he had not understood what the Kop fans were chanting.

He said: "I have a problem — I don't understand sometimes. I could not hear so I cannot say."

But the Spaniard was sporting enough to offer his condolences to the stricken Smith. Benitez added: "We are so sorry for the injury to Smith.

"Football is a game to be enjoyed and you don't want to see players injured — in your team or in others. It is always a pity.

"But we can't change things — we can only say ‘good luck' to him."

Liverpool earned their first FA Cup victory over United in 85 YEARS, ONE MONTH and SIX DAYS — thanks to Peter Crouch's 19th-minute header.

Crouch ended up a bloody hero after having stitches in a nasty forehead wound following an accidental clash of heads. But Benitez was reluctant to praise his match-winner.

Job

He said: "I don't talk about heroes or individuals. Crouch was doing his job for the team and the rest of the players also did their jobs.

"But Crouch will be happy. He has stitches in his head — I don't know how many — but he will be happy."

But Fergie was far from impressed. He moaned: "Liverpool can play for five minutes and win the game — that's the way they are.

"They lump the ball into the box and we didn't have any height.

"Alan's injury sums up our season — Paul Scholes, Quinton Fortune and Gabriel Heinze are also all out for the season — and he was only just getting back to full fitness following another ankle injury.

"We lost Rio Ferdinand with a hamstring on Friday and then Mikael Silvestre had to come off at half-time.

"Then Alan gets his injury. You need some luck to win the Cup but we didn't have it today."



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