Stephen Ireland cries out in pain as the paramedics try to stabilise the fractured tibia and fibula bones in his right leg.
‘It’s completely broken,’ says the former Manchester City and Aston Villa midfielder as the camera zooms in on the gruesome injury and team-mates gather around him. A sickening snap was audible in the footage.
As Ireland’s recovery continues five months on, he is fully focused on managing Wythenshawe FC Veterans, the Sunday League team in South Manchester made up of a growing number of ex-Premier League stars like him.
Last season, Wythenshawe won the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division title with a goal difference of plus 85 from 14 games.
This season, the squad includes Emile Heskey, Antonio Valencia, Joleon Lescott, Papiss Cisse, Danny Drinkwater, Nedum Onuoha, Marc Albrighton, Tom Huddlestone, Maynor Figueroa, Jefferson Montero, George Boyd and Oumar Niasse.
You have to fear for Greenalls Padgate St Oswalds in the President’s Cup this weekend.
Former Manchester City star Stephen Ireland has opened up on his double leg break suffered playing for Wythenshawe Vets and their 12-month recovery he faces as a result
Last season, Wythenshawe won the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division title with a goal difference of plus 85 from 14 games with the XI including several ex-Premier League stars
Ireland’s injury in the Premier Division Cup final against South Liverpool in May does raise the question of whether it’s safe for professionals to put themselves at risk at this level. Heskey has admitted that he almost quit following Ireland’s double leg break.
‘We don’t go out there to be disrespectful but there are players and opposition teams that will want to hurt you if they get the opportunity – there is a target on your back, for sure,’ says Ireland.
‘The realisation straightaway of, “this is me for 12 months” and what’s ahead of you is tough. I was worried when I broke my leg that the guys would be like, “that’s enough, I don’t want any more”.
‘If anybody in the squad was going to get that injury, I’m happy that it was me. I wouldn’t want it on my conscience or the responsibility if it happened to somebody else.’
Ireland’s graphic injury and rehab is one of the storylines in Every Given Sunday, the new docuseries following Wythenshawe Vets which began airing on YouTube last weekend.
His wife Jessica describes her shock at what happened to the 40-year-old. ‘I never thought he would end up having this life-changing injury from playing what was supposed to be fun Sunday football,’ she says, before admitting that Ireland is actually busier now as Wythenshawe’s manager than he was playing full-time in the Premier League where he made nearly 250 appearances for City, Villa and Stoke.
The documentary opens with Ireland berating Valencia over the phone after the former Manchester United captain missed a flight back from Honduras before a game.
‘This is really bad,’ says Ireland. ‘How do you miss your flight? You’re a grown man. It’s f***ing mental.’
Ireland’s wife Jessica has called his injury was shocked about the ‘life-changing’ injury he got
Ireland is now manager of the side as he recovers from his broken leg and finds himself busy
Ex-Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse (right) is one player who Ireland now manages
He has to call Cisse to make sure he is out of bed and moans about having to sort out parking for Lescott and his kids. Niasse calls to say he will be 20 minutes late because he is lost in the car park at Ikea.
But, really, Ireland is loving the matchday routine of a manager as he works his way back to playing again. One of his post-match duties involves shaving the head of a player who has lost a bet by failing to score.
For Ireland and the other ex-Premier League stars like him, it fills the void left by retirement which can lead to loneliness and even mental health issues.
Asked if he ever considered hanging up his boots after the injury, he replies: ‘No, not at all. I’m like a dog with a bone. I’m going to get back stronger and faster, and I will surprise everybody.
‘I miss football every single day. This Wythenshawe Veterans team just makes me feel alive again.
‘I’ve been asking myself a lot recently why the hell I’m doing this. This is why I’m doing it. Football is all we’ve ever known, and one day that is just whipped away from you.
‘I’m very mindful of people being lonely or lost, climbing the walls not knowing what to do with themselves anymore. The guys are planning their lives around these games now. It’s become something that’s really important to them.
‘I think we are the best Sunday league team in the country – I’d be very surprised if we’re not.’
