10:44am Friday 15th October 2010
[By Ian Whiting]
AFC Farsley utility man Amjad Iqbal was due to be released from hospital today almost a week after suffering a serious injury in a challenge from former team-mate and Bradford City winger Ben Muirhead.
The incident happened midway through the first half of last Saturday’s win over Armthorpe Welfare at Throstle Nest. The reality of it will be with Iqbal for months, maybe even years.
The Pakistan international is just setting out on the long road to recovery and in good spirits after the specialists treating him reported no complications.
Farsley manager Neil Parsley said: “I went to see him on Monday, he had his operation on Tuesday and we have kept in contact by phone since.
“The damage is a double break of Amjad’s left leg and the surgeon has inserted a rod and some screws for the bone to heel.
“Considering what he has been through in the space of a week, it all sounds positive so far and he is determined to beat this. He has had mixed emotions, and that is perfectly normal for this type of injury.
“He is over the initial shock and the pain is being managed but he is moving through the whole range. He was dejected then annoyed, then questioning why him and there a few more to go through before the process ends.”
Iqbal spent last season at Bradford Park Avenue but returned to Farsley – a club which has a special feeling for him, and vice versa. He can play a variety of roles and could be playing at a higher level but wants to play for Farsley.
Parsley continued: “He is a very popular lad and a number of the players have been in to see him at hospital.
“In fact, the whole football community has been rallying round and I have lots of calls from players and managers at other clubs all wishing him well.
“That says a lot about Amjad – he is one of the nicest men you could wish to meet. He really is one of the good guys in football and I’m devastated for him. He will get back to normal in his private life and then consider his football life somewhere down the line.
“These challenges and types of injury are becoming more frequent in the game and it is happening from the Premier League down.
“Everyone is talking about Karl Henry and Nigel de Jong after they were involved in high-profile incidents.
“I’m not saying serious injuries can be eradicated because it is a contact sport but to my mind something needs to be done. As a club we are dealing with the aftermath and are left to pick up the pieces.
“We can only imagine what Ammers is going through and will go through in the coming months. He does have a lot of friends in the game though and each and every one of them is determined to pitch in and keep his spirits high and do whatever they can.”