Green: Thank you for your messages of support - I will be back!

Sunday 03rd January 2010

AFTER the horrific injury he sustained against Folkestone Invicta on Tuesday night, Chatham Town’s Mark Green as been speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk about what happened, and has asked us to bring you all right up to date on his condition and to pass on his sincerest thanks to everyone, and he means everyone who helped him whilst he lay on the Maidstone Road pitch waiting for the ambulance, as well as all the message of support he’s since received!

Speaking from his hospital bed at the Medway Maritime Hospital on New Years Day, Mark first talked about the tackle itself that broke his leg.

He remembers, “It was a big tackle – Frankie (Chappell) hit me – but it wasn’t his fault, and I don’t blame him one bit for it. We were both motivated; we’ve both hit each other hard and unfortunately I’ve come of worse!

“I don’t blame Frankie one little bit and I want him and everyone else to know that! He’s rung me a couple of times in absolute bits and texted me too since Tuesday night and I really do appreciate that. I know him out of football, and I know that he wouldn’t have meant it, but,” shrugging his shoulders, “it’s just how football is!

“I remember everything that happened on Tuesday night… I remember “Mev” (Folkestone captain Micheal Everitt) coming over and I wouldn’t let go of him! He was in my face “Greenie, its going to be all right – relax! Relax!” and I couldn’t let go of him. He was holding my face down saying, “Try to calm down – try to calm down!” But I knew my leg was broken – I heard the snap. I don’t go down to easy normally, and I just knew that I “wouldn’t be playing for a while!”

Mark then had this to say about some comments that have been made in the aftermath of his accident.

“I just want to say categorically again that I don’t blame Frankie Chappell one bit! I know the player he is – he’s a strong tackler and a very good centre half, and the conditions weren’t great – though they weren’t to blame either!

“It was just a tough tackle and I came off worse. I don’t wont him to feel blame or be blamed for it at all, as I’ve been told that there have been comments floating around saying that Razor (Ray Powell) set the tone with a tackle before, and “tit for tat” the Folkestone players shouldn’t have hit me and it shouldn’t result in this!”

Mark continued with a hint of anger in his voice pointing at his heavily bandaged right leg! “Whatever you may have thought at the time, or may think now, it’s all rubbish – football’s football and it’s not personal! He’s hit me and I’ve come off worse, and I don’t hold a grudge against him at all and I never will!

Reflecting on the previous 72 hours, Mark paid tribute to those who came to his aid on Tuesday, most notably Emma Turner (the Chats physio) and Folkestone assistant boss Micky Dix.

“Its been a long few days for me” Mark said, “but I’m hoping to get out on Tuesday, fingers crossed, I had surgery on Thursday and they’ve put a 36 centimetre rod in my right leg, but the doctors say that I’m on the mend which is one good thing.

“But I just want to thank everyone who has supported me through this – previous clubs, previous fans, Emma was amazing; Dixie was great,” desperately trying to hold back the tears, Mark continued “but Emma especially – what she did I’ll never ever forget as she didn’t leave my side – I don’t think she went home till after 2:00am Wednesday morning and she’s been back since and I truly wont ever forget that. Dean (Ruddy) has been incredible too – he was there for it all the way.”

The Kent Non League football family has, as always, rallied round one of its own when there’s bad news around as, Mark then explained. “The amount of support I’ve got has been amazing and it’s made me realise just how many good people I’ve met in the game from playing Non League.

“The gaffer (Alex O’Brien) came and saw me yesterday after the op, and really did lift my spirits – he brought his kids with him and that really helped! The club have been great! I’ve had contact from former Whitstable boss Marc Seager, Ashford boss Steve Lovell, Sittingbourne boss Gary Abbott, Dartford boss Tony Burman, Hastings boss Tony Dolby (who I played for at Tonbridge) and it shows that football isn’t just a game it really is like a family. And how quickly the news travels as texts were coming in almost straight away – Get Well Soon etc!

“Previous players that I played with years ago have got hold of my number and wished me good luck, and I’d like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for the support that they’ve given me, as it really has put a smile on my face, and it makes me realise as I lie here in the Medway Maritime Hospital just how lucky I actually am!”

Mark then paid tribute to the love of his life. “Anna, my other half has been truly amazing! It shocked her of course at first as it did everyone I think! I usually phone her about quarter past ten after a game to let her know how I’ve gotten on. But Tuesday it was a case of “the phones not ringing! Why’s the phone not ringing?” And when Dean rang her about 11:00, it was a question of “Oh my god, what’s he done now?” or that’s the clean version anyway! She then naturally panicked – my Mum’s been away in Spain for the New Year (she’s not back till this weekend)… but Dean’s been like a brother to me during this – he really has! He’s been so good to me and I really can never thank him enough for all that he’s done!

“But then there are so many people who have helped me, but Dean’s been there the whole way through!”

So what does the long term future hold now for Mark? Well initially it seemed cut and dried, until that is Mark took a phone call from a former Whitstable Town manager – Marc Seager.

Mark explained, “I’ve got to be honest when I first did it, I said to Dean and some others that “I’m giving up – I’m giving up!” But I spoke to Seags and he said something that has inspired me. He said, “Look at all the good people you’ve met Mark. It’s a broken leg – you got through it once. This one may be a bit worse, but you’re a strong character and I don’t think you’d want to give up now with all this support – would you?”

“And you know he’s right I wouldn’t and wont! I’ll give it my best shot – whether I come back as good or as fit I don’t know but I can tell everyone reading this that I’m not a person to give up, and its made me realise lying here for two or three days that the support I’ve had, if I was to just give up now they could just give up on me and forget that I was here, and I don’t want that! And I’m going to prove to them –

“I’m only 24 – I may look older as I had a tough paper round! But seriously I’ve got a few more years in me yet.”

He went on, “I’ve been in the Non League game a while now. Chris Kinnear gave me my break at Margate where if I’m honest I went the wrong way as I was chasing the pound notes and I realised that when I went to Dartford that its not just about the money. I’ve now got a “missus”, a house and football is now about enjoying the game – and I’ve met such a lot of good people.”

Finally there was a thank you to everyone, and he means everyone who has sent messages of support and good will.

“I’d just like to thank everyone for their support as I read all your text messages and the Facebook messages coming through. I’d love to reply to all of them straight away, but at the moment I haven’t got the energy! (That may have something to do with still being in a lot of pain and being hooked up to a morphine machine.) But I promise you that I will to each and everyone in time.

“I wouldn’t want to be remembered as the cripple on the floor who got stretchered off – I want my last game to be remembered on my terms where I completed 90 minutes. And I will come back – I’ve already spoken to a couple of Physio’s and they said they’d get me back, but it’ll be a mental thing and I’ve got to be mentally strong and that is going to be the hardest bit! But I’ll be back!”

Article written by Mike Green