Andros Townsend escapes serious injury after pitch roller runs him over in Thailand warm-up

Andros Townsend escaped serious injury after a pitch roller drove over him during the warm-up before PT Prachuap’s 3-0 Thai League One victory over Pattani FC. The 35-year-old former England international was attempting an aerial backheel when the manned roller collided with him, leaving him momentarily trapped beneath the equipment.

Footage circulated on social media shows Townsend’s teammates rushing to his side in the immediate aftermath, with some turning away in apparent horror. Despite the severity of what they witnessed, the former Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town winger was able to continue and came off the bench in stoppage time once the result was already secured.

The incident was Townsend’s third appearance for Prachuap since joining the club in the summer. He had started the opening fixtures against Rayong and Sukhothai before being named among the substitutes for the Pattani match. The win lifted Prachuap to second place in the division.

Townsend’s route to Thai football was an unconventional one. In an interview earlier in 2025, he explained that his time at Turkish side Antalyaspor had ended acrimoniously after the club withheld several months of his salary. He accepted the outstanding payment in exchange for leaving, but found himself without a club from March onwards.

“I hadn’t played since March, got a bit frustrated, so in the summer I said to Marlon [my agent] I don’t care where I go, just take me somewhere nice, interesting and tropical,” Townsend said. “He came back with one or two options in Europe but for some reason my gut was just really interested about the option in Thailand.”

The 13-cap England international had previously moved to Kanchanaburi Power in the Thai Second Division in 2025 before linking up with Prachuap. His latest mishap is unlikely to dampen the curiosity that has followed his career in Southeast Asia — though he may face some uncomfortable questions about his aerial backheels in the days ahead.