Hull City were warned about dangerous road five days before Sorba Thomas overturned his car

Sorba Thomas, Hull City’s £10.5m deadline-day signing from Stoke, escaped without injury after overturning his car on Millhouse Woods Lane in Cottingham on Friday morning — a residential road directly adjacent to the club’s training ground. Two other vehicles were damaged in the incident, and Humberside Police attended the scene, advising motorists to avoid the area.

What makes the incident particularly striking is the timing. Local councillor Phil Redshaw had written to the Hull City club secretary just five days earlier, on the Sunday before the crash, asking the club to remind players to take extra care on the road. “I wrote to the Hull City club secretary on Sunday asking them to remind players to be careful driving down the road because of the residents’ concerns,” Redshaw told The Mirror. “I wanted them to remind their staff to drive with extra care, because they get new players in every season.”

Redshaw said there had been “a few near misses” recently on the lane, where gardens back directly onto the pavement and lorries have little room to manoeuvre. He visited residents on Friday following the crash to discuss the ongoing concerns. Hull City referred to their official statement when asked about the councillor’s comments. That statement sought to “reassure supporters that he has sustained no injuries and emerged from his vehicle completely unscathed.”

The incident had an immediate knock-on effect for the club, with their team coach delayed in leaving for London ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.

Thomas, 27, is one of 17 new signings Hull made this summer following their promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs — the most incomings of any club in the division. The Wales international has made two appearances for the Tigers so far, featuring in the goalless draw with Aston Villa on his Premier League debut before starting the 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Sunderland in midweek.

Hull have made an impressive start to life back in the top flight, keeping three successive clean sheets in victories over Manchester United and Coventry and the draw with Villa. Sergej Jakirovic’s side sit third in the Premier League table heading into Saturday’s trip to west London.