April 8 – Busst’s Horror Break
IT is the one thing all professional footballers fear more than anything else. No, we are not talking about being hilariously ‘merked’ by the modern day Jeremy Beadle that is Rio Ferdinand, but rather sustaining a career-ending injury.
It was on this day in 1996 that Coventry defender David Busst had his playing days cut short when he broke his leg during a match. The break was so bad, with bone protruding from his skin, that it looked as if he might even have to have his leg amputated at one point. 26 operations later and although doctors saved his leg, they couldn’t save his career and he was forced to hang up his boots at the age of 29.
Busst was playing at centre half for the Sky Blues against Manchester United at Old Trafford and the game was only two minutes in when Coventry won a corner. Nine years later, Busst recounts to episode to the Daily Telegraph.
He said: “I trot up from central defence to take up my usual position at the back post . . . the ball curls in . . .Noel Whelan heads it goalwards . . . Peter Schmeichel parries and I slide in with Brian McClair and Denis Irwin . . . I manage to get my toe to the ball first . . . and that’s when the screaming started.”
The injury was so horrific that Schmeichel vomited when he saw it and had to receive counselling afterwards to help him get over it. The game had to be stopped for 15 minutes while ground staff mopped up the blood off the turf in the penalty area as Busst was stretchered off with Brian McClair holding his hand.
Busst recalls: “I could see the crowd clapping and cheering in sympathy but I couldn’t hear them above the noise of my screams. It was frighteningly painful and I knew that something major was wrong. It felt as though a part of me which should have been there was missing.”
It was not actually the break that did for his career as a player, but while in hospital he picked up MRSA (before anyone had heard of it) and the damage to his muscles meant his playing days were over.
He still works at Coventry City running their Football in the Community programme and he has ambitions in the dug out having taken coaching courses and he was manager of non-league Evesham United a few years back.
He is also the first port of call for journalists every time there is a horror leg break in a football match and has been called on to comment on Alan Smith when he broke his leg at Liverpool in 2006, and most recently Eduardo when the Arsenal striker was felled by Martin Taylor at Birmingham City in February.
Here is the moment that is probably still giving Busst and Schmeichel nightmares, although you can’t see much from the clip so no need to hide behind the sofa.
No related posts.
(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ...
October 30 - Lord of the Manor of Frodsham | On This Football Day on October 30th, 2008
[...] for Cisse, the injury was treated well and did not spell the end of his career like David Busst, although it was thought he would be out injured until the following season. However, his recovery [...]