Headache for football team as four players get swine flu

Published on Tuesday 25 August 2009 09:42

PRE-season injuries are an occupational hazard for any football coach, but one local team had to contend with four of its key players out before a ball was even kicked – after they comtracted swine flu.

Newtongrange Star were hoping for further success after winning promotion to the East Region Super League last season.

But their preparations got off to a shaky start when some of their best players were hit by the bug. Coaches were dismayed when key players failed to return after the summer break and believe the high number of cases was "just bad luck", since two of the four players caught it separately on holiday.

Manager Graeme Armstrong said: "It's very bad timing for us, just as the season's about to start. It's our first season in the league and we're hoping to do well. But this would be very difficult for any football club.

"The first player had it at the start of the pre-season matches. Then another player had much worse symptoms, and was off for a full week from work.

Then two other guys came back from their holidays with it. We could hardly believe it. They were all told by the doctors they had swine flu. It does take a lot out of you. Once they're recovered, it still takes at least a week to get back up to the same standard as before."

Fortunately, he said all but one of the players have made a recovery in time for their first league match against Bo'ness United on Saturday.

Alan Brown, 23, from Oxgangs caught swine flu while he was on holiday in Crete with his girlfriend. He first had symptoms on August 10, and was off work for 10 days.

He said: "The last couple of days of my holiday I started having a sore head and my whole body was aching. Someone in our hotel had already been put in hospital with swine flu.

"When I got home we got the doctor to come out. I wasn't allowed out the house for seven days. I could hardly move at first. I was quite worried after reading about swine flu, and I know it can be a lot worse."

He said he plans to be back playing with the team on Saturday. He said: "I couldn't believe it when I heard three other players had it. I think it's just bad luck. The season's just starting and all our preparations have been wiped out."

Scott Swaney, Gareth Hutchison and one other player have also been hit by the illness.

Overall levels of swine flu in the Lothians, however, are continuing to fall, according to the latest government figures.

The government will give swine flu vaccines to at-risk groups, including people with asthma, weak immune systems and pregnant women. Frontline health and social care workers will also get the vaccination.