‘K’ Park Injury Update

Not a day to remember for ‘Loons’ officials, players and supporters on our first ever visit to meet league newcomers East Kilbride who were indeed worthy winners on the day, but perhaps the final score line flattered them a little.

However especially considering the overhead conditions throughout, the old adage for the visiting side of it ‘never rains but it pours’ would sum up our day, sadly especially on the injury front.

The most serious incident came within sixty seconds of the second half starting, when following what looked an innocuous clash right in front of the technical areas, Ross MacLean who has been in such fine form this campaign, slumped to the ground in obvious and extreme pain. Following a twenty minute hold up while Ross was attended to on the field of play, he was stretchered off to a waiting ambulance and transported at speed to the nearby Hairmyres Hospital.

There the player’s worst fears were confirmed, a broken ankle the diagnosis. Ross received some immediate corrective surgery at Hairmyres and is due to be transferred this evening to University Hospital in Wishaw for a further operation which may take place tonight or certainly on Sunday morning.

Obviously this will mean a lengthy stint on the sidelines for the player who has been a regular in the Athies starting line-up throughout the early part of the current campaign. The player though has spoken on the phone from hospital to our management team and Chairman and seemed in remarkable spirits, all things considered.

Certainly the thoughts of all of a ‘Loons’ persuasion are with Ross tonight, alongside the hope for a full and as speedy possible recovery.

Ross was the second Forfar player to exit the game, following Craig Slater’s first half mishap. Craig slid off the playing surface on the stand side of the ground following a fair tackle it has to be said, his momentum seeing him collide face first with a pitch side barrier. He headed for the treatment room assisted by the medics with pretty heavy bruising and a facial cut fairly evident.

Thankfully Craig passed all the immediate concussion tests but he was not fit to continue and although in as good spirits as he could be at the final whistle considering the end result, he will feel pretty sore one would imagine for a day or two. His participation in next Saturday’s KDM Trophy tie may well also be in some doubt.

A final word on both injuries and their aftermath. Forfar Athletic officials would like to put on record their thanks to the East Kilbride medical staff for the assistance they gave to our own physio Lara Jordan and also a thank you to the paramedics on duty at the game who acted in a highly professional manner in both instances.

As a footnote, the Forfar Athletic management, players and Directors would like to thank the supporters who made the trip to ‘K’Park and hopefully all had a safe journey home in horrendous driving conditions.

We would add in conclusion that the host club officials have asked us to pass on their apologies to the ‘Loons’ fans at the game for the lack of appropriate refreshment facilities available to them. This was due to the lack of numbers as regards advance away section ticket sales, ‘Kilby’ officials subsequently caught out by the number of Athies fans who turned up to make payment or purchase tickets in the hour prior to kick-off. They were keen to stress that as far as they are concerned it was a lesson learned and taken on board, all credit to them in this regard.