Former England international Andros Townsend has recounted the frightening moment he was accidentally run over by a stadium groundskeeper’s machine while playing in Thailand. The 35-year-old, who currently plays for PT Prachuap in the Thai League 1, described the event as ‘terrifying’ after his left leg became trapped beneath the heavy roller during a pre-match warm-up in Pattani on Saturday.
Townsend, whose career has included spells at Tottenham, Luton, and Crystal Palace, revealed that he managed to free himself from the machinery and even made a late appearance in his team’s 3-0 victory. Speaking on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored program, the former England player expressed shock at what nearly happened, noting that he was fortunate to escape with nothing more than bumps and bruises.
‘Every time I see it, I’m cringing, I’m in disbelief,’ Townsend said. ‘It’s horrible to watch back and to see what could have been, thankfully I was fortunate I did manage to fall onto the floor at the right time, so nothing snapped as the roller went over me.’
The midfielder, who earned 13 caps for his country, admitted that the presence of two rollers operating simultaneously on the pitch during warm-ups had seemed unusual to him at the time. However, he did not suspect any danger until the incident occurred. His teammates were reportedly surprised when Townsend chose to continue warming up despite the ordeal, even though they urged him to seek medical attention.
Townsend explained that he initially attempted to lift the heavy vehicle off his leg and used his left arm to relieve the pressure before other players arrived to help move it. Given his history of injuries, including previous surgeries on his left ankle and knee, he feared serious damage.
‘I thought, either my left ankle was going to snap or my left knee is going to snap. I thought I was done,’ he recalled. ‘I was very fortunate that I was able to hobble away and recover within a few minutes.’
Despite the scare, Townsend insisted the incident would not deter him from continuing his football career. He later joked about the experience on Instagram, referencing a previous social media post where he had lamented playing away at Stoke City’s Bet365 Stadium. ‘It turns out Stoke away wasn’t so bad after all,’ he wrote.
Townsend moved to Thailand in 2025 after joining Kanchanaburi Power FC before his subsequent transfer to PT Prachuap. The incident has highlighted the rare but potentially dangerous hazards that can exist even during routine match preparations.
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