Boy, 13, excluded by school ...for bad tackle in PE lesson
IT was only supposed to be a friendly knock-about during a school PE class.
But a football game ended with one boy in an ambulance and his 13-yearold classmate suspended from school over a tackle described by the gym teacher – a former professional – as ‘one of the worst challenges he had seen’.
Argyle Barclay’s late hit on a fellow pupil was so severe the youngster had to be taken to hospital where he was found to have suffered serious ankle ligament damage.
Licensed UEFA coach Kevin McBride, who has played for Albion Rovers, Cowdenbeath and East Fife, was in charge of the PE session.
He reported the incident and second-year pupil Argyle was taken out of class at Greenfaulds High, in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, and told he was being excluded. The family later received a letter from the school explaining the reasons for his exclusion.
His mother Elaine accused the school of over-reacting, but the school insists it acted proportionately, claiming the tackle was off-the-ball and malicious.
Mrs Barclay, 50, said: ‘I am livid with the way the school has handled this. When Argyle came home, he was distraught.
‘It is a game of football and they are making a big thing about it.
‘One teacher said he could be done for serious assault on the wee guy. Argyle feels the teachers are ganging up him.’
Argyle told the Scottish Daily Mail he was defending his team’s 2-0 lead close to the end of the game when he saw the boy running down the wing with the ball.
He said: ‘I ran after him and while he was still on the ball I committed to the tackle – so I couldn’t stop. But as I started the tackle he passed the ball into the box and I catch him.
‘Afterwards, I did think the tackle was a wee bit late, but I never thought it was going to be that bad. My teacher told me to go and get changed so I did what I was told. I just thought the boy had a sprain or something.
‘I went to my English class and I was upset because people were calling me names. About ten minutes into the class my guidance teacher pulled me out.’
Argyle said he was kept in a room for 90 minutes while he was questioned by deputy headteacher Alison Harvey, his guidance teacher and Mr McBride.
He added: ‘I was scared – I don’t want to get in trouble with the police. They said it was deliberate and I meant to hurt him.
‘I would never try to break somebody’s ankle.
‘They said the teacher shouted me a warning before the tackle but I don’t know how I am meant to hear that from the other end of the pitch where the teacher was.’
Headteacher Linda Park issued a statement through North Lanarkshire Council about the incident. She said: ‘The teacher who took the class was a professional footballer and is a UEFA licensed coach with 11 years’ coaching experience.
‘He said the tackle was one of the worst challenges he had ever seen and was deliberately intended to hurt the other player. This behaviour has no place on the football pitch or in the school.
‘The other pupil won’t return to school for four days or take part in sport for a further eight weeks.’
Argyle and his mother are due to meet Mrs Harvey on Tuesday.
Mrs Barclay said: ‘My son has told me it was an accident and I believe him. He is competitive but would not deliberately injure another person.
‘I’ll be seeking legal advice about the conduct of the teachers involved. They are making him out to be a thug and he’s not.’
‘Don’t want to get into trouble’ You have been excluded… for deliberate late tackle on football field (previously given warning). Pupil admits fault. Possible broken ankle to another pupil.