In Prachuap, on Thailand’s narrow Gulf coast, Andros Townsend’s weekend took an extraordinary turn during the interval of PT Prachuap’s Thai Premier League meeting with Pattani. While warming up for the second half, the former England international was struck by a pitch roller and found himself beneath the machine before he could move clear.
Townsend has since described the incident as a frightening moment that, remarkably, appears not to have left him with a serious injury. He said he heard team-mates shouting before feeling the weight of the vehicle pass over him.
At first, he did not immediately grasp the physical consequences. The pain arrived after the final whistle, during PT Prachuap’s 10-hour journey home. His knee began to swell heavily, he was soon unable to walk and he experienced severe pain and sharp sensations in the joint. He needed help from fellow players even to get to the bathroom.
The former Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Everton winger said the swelling and discomfort have now largely subsided, adding that he feels he has escaped almost unscathed.
A recovery routine after the scare
Townsend credited the food he ate in the following 24 hours with helping him settle the inflammation and regain movement without medication. In a TikTok post, he set out the ingredients he used as part of his recovery routine.
- Six whole eggs, for protein intended to support muscle repair.
- Blueberries, extra-virgin olive oil and raw cacao, chosen for their polyphenols, flavanols and antioxidant properties.
- Smoked salmon, providing omega-3 fatty acids associated with inflammation signalling and muscular recovery.
- Raw cheese, which he said supplied calcium for bone health.
- An orange, included for vitamin C and its role in collagen production.
It was an unusual episode in an already far-flung chapter of Townsend’s career: a familiar English football figure now playing in Thailand, travelling long distances between matches, and leaving a matchday with a story few players anywhere in the game could credibly tell.
