I defied doctor, now it’s my day in sun
I’M STILL STANDING: McNulty tries to shut down Bristol Rovers. Meanwhile Pochettino, right, has said sorry to Rochdale for comments about their pitch FOR ONE awful hour Jim McNulty thought his football career was over at the age of 24.
A thoughtless and insensitive doctor delivered the devastating but premature diagnosis after McNulty was taken to hospital with a ruptured kidney after being kicked in the stomach in only his sixth game for Brighton, against Crewe in 2009.
He eventually lost his right kidney and faced a lengthy battle to return but nine years and over 250 games later he would like the doctor to know he is alive and kicking.
And he is looking forward to facing Tottenham’s superstars tomorrow when they visit League One basement club Rochdale in the most romantic of this weekend’s ties.
When McNulty recalls those dark times it is easy to understand the excitement that a “journeyman” – his honest description of himself – feels at the prospect of such a glamour game. “I remember being in A&E
OLD-SCHOOL WELCOME ON CARDS FOR SPURS
ROCHDALE have sorted out their pitch in time for the visit of Tottenham tomorrow, but you can bet they will offer an old-school welcome to the top-flight superstars.
I have a feeling Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino may have one eye on the Premier League table and the other on the second leg of their Champions League tie with Juventus, so could use this game as a chance to rest players.
I am not suggesting Rochdale have a chance – they are 18-1 for a good reason – but I can see cards rather than goals. A red card to be shown in the match is a tasty 6-1, and a Spurs victory with two or fewer goals offered at 5-2.
Elsewhere, Manchester United look a decent price at 4-9 to beat Huddersfield and City are certain to see off Wigan.
As for who will win the FA Cup, my money is on United at 7-2. City have so many irons in the fire that I see them running out of steam as the season reaches its conclusion.
BY JOE CRILLY
within an hour or so of the incident and the doctor there said I probably wouldn’t play football again,” he said.
“I was there with my father and fiancee. I cried into my dad’s chest.
“But luckily that news was completely reversed within an hour. I obviously wanted to strangle the doctor. It was probably a bit of everyday information for him but, for me, football was my life and he should have stayed quiet until he was better informed. It still winds me up.
“The FA actually got wind of the news and their doctor spoke with our club doctor. It was nonsense to suggest it would end my career. I had a few operations to try to save the kidney but, ultimately, it was taken out. I got back playing again, though. It took a long time and there were a lot of knock-on injuries because my posture was greatly affected by having this empty space on my right-hand side. “I had multiple ankle injuries because my pelvic alignment was a nightmare from that point on but 200 or 300 games later I’m fine and facing Harry Kane, if he plays. It’s brilliant, it’s our day in the sun.”
McNulty, who ‘celebrated’ his 33rd birthday on Tuesday when Rochdale dropped to the bottom of League One following a 3-2 defeat at Bristol Rovers, has had to overcome more setbacks in his career.
He failed to make the grade as a youngster at Everton, was released by Wrexham, dropped into the Welsh League with Caenarfon and broke a leg during a spell with Macclesfield.
He accepts Rochdale might have had a better chance of an upset win tomorrow by not relaying their pitch but says the decision was taken to improve their chances of staying up.
“We know playing on a horrible day on the ‘beach-swamp’ of our pitch would not appeal to them too much,” he said. “The new surface will make it more pleasant for Tottenham but it will help us too.
“Without question the ‘beach’ has been detrimental to us this season. In our own division we are a footballplaying side and we’ve been hindered.
“This is a special fixture but the pitch has been relaid for the rest of the campaign, our bread and butter.”
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino – who will make wholesale changes – had urged the FA to intervene over the state of the pitch in comments that irked Rochdale, but yesterday said: “I want to apologise to the people in Rochdale and the chairman and the people who took my comment the wrong way.
“My comment was about the care, first of all the players of Rochdale, our players and the competition that all of England watches on TV.
“After the replay against Newport I was with my coaching staff and they showed me a picture of Rochdale’s pitch after the Millwall tie and the pitch was not in a great condition.
“Now the conditions are fantastic so I congratulate them. The effort was massive.”