THERE ARE FEW things worse than being caught short when on the football field — thousands of eyes watching and all you can think of is when you might be able to relieve yourself.
For many amateur footballers, the site of players disappearing mid-match to the toilet is not an unfamiliar sight, but those watching Salford City’s National League North clash with Bradford Park Avenue got more than they bargained for yesterday.
With Salford 2-1 up in the closing stages, goalkeeper Max Crocombe was shown a red card in mysterious circumstances, with no one quite sure what the New Zealand U23 international had done wrong.
It soon materialised, however, that Crocombe had chosen to urinate by the side of the pitch rather than wait until he was able to return to the dressing room at full-time.
Crocombe — who will face a suspension of at least three matches — later apologised for the incident, writing on Twitter: “I’d like to sincerely apologise for the incident today. I was in a very uncomfortable position and made an error of judgement which spoiled a great win.
“My intention was never to offend anyone and I’d like to apologise to both clubs and both sets of supporters and it won’t happen again.”
Salford City are owned by members of Manchester United’s famed ‘Class of ’92′, with Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Phil Neville all involved in the day-to-day running of the non-league outfit.
There’s a crop of some seriously good young talented centres coming through the clubs atm Forde, Postlewaithe, Brownlee, Gavin, Cooney all in and around 6ft 3’, 16st. And hooker too McCarthy, Stewart, Barron, McKee, Smyth, Sheahan. Not so much at prop although Clarkson has definitely stood up so far. Hopefully Boyle, Milne, Wilson, McCarthy, Foxe can kick on. Niall Smyth in the Leinster academy looks very promising. Big tighthead that is very mobile and athletic and impressed for Blackrock a year or two ago. Hopefully Furlong can stay injury free and find some sort of resurgence in the last couple of years in his career because were definitely reliant on him.
@Harry O’ Callaghan: switch a few of them hookers to prop
@Harry O’ Callaghan: Usanov, u20 again this season, is highly rated . He did well with Emerging Ireland at 19 years of age. He’s not huge but is powerful. I think Niall Smyth must have come off injured for Leinster A last week as he was replaced early in the first half. Another big TH is Andrew Sparrow, huge lad 19 and half stone. Great young talent coming through.
Very talented is Jude. Anybody watching the game properly may even spot him in the lineout occasionally.