Northwich
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Northwich
RUGBY UNION FOOTBAL CLUB
6th December 2003, the day that changed a life, my life. I’d been an
active sportsman from childhood playing football age 7 for Castle
cub scouts. Football continued through my teens both Saturday and
Sunday, before discovering rugby union playing for Northwich Rugby
Club aged 18 until the day it ceased four days prior to turning 44. It
was during a local first team derby game Warrington v Northwich
a scrum failed to engage correctly resulting in a catastrophic spinal
injury leaving me level C3-4 tetraplegic.
A night of severe pain in Warrington General with
ever increasing weights being suspended from a metal
halo, screwed to my head to help relieve the dislocation,
prior to transfer to Southport Spinal Unit, where for
three months I lay incapacitated with the metal frame
and body support firmly attached also ventilated by
tracheostomy. After two months a self-induced twitch
occurred in my right thumb, quickly followed by the
removal of my breathing tube. I was on the road to a
recovery.
I will always be indebted to the Northwich community
and especially Andy Naylor who rallied together raising
vital funds to purchase specialist equipment and offering
emotional support to my family. Hospitalised for eleven
months, I was eventually discharged and undertook a
period of rehabilitation prior to moving into adapted
accommodation.
I always had a positive mental attitude regards my
injury and “Life is not the same as it was but a hell of a
lot better than it could have been”. I have a very good
quality of life and a level of independence endorsed
24 Issue 86
by support of carers and extended family and friends,
both at home and abroad. The RFU Injured Players
Foundation have been extremely supportive in assisting
purchase of an adaptive vehicle and wheelchair which
has allowed opportunity to travel around mainland
Europe, favourite destination being Slovakia.
Without doubt the early support of the Northwich
community and the ongoing commitment given by the
RFUIPF has been a tremendous positive and has a large
influence on why I remain involved with the sport rugby
union. As a volunteer at Northwich RUFC I can give
something back because it’s only when you are involved
in a club that you understand the amazing difference
they make.
Pre injury I assisted Dave Johnson coaching a squad
of under 18’s colts, a team that included my son Chris,
none of these players went on to established a regular
selection at Northwich 1st team level but many went on
to play senior rugby. A few hopping over the fence to
play 1st XV for Winnington Park. Prior to that Ian Dale
and I coached a number of junior squads that included