Tragic deja vu for young footballer Craig Wilson who has been seriously injured for the second time in four years while playing for Angle Vale
CRAIG Wilson battled for years to regain the strength in his legs to return to the football field. Now he is once again facing the prospect of recovering from serious spinal injuries after a tackle went bad.
AN amateur football player and young father who clawed his way back from a serious back injury to return to the field has once again suffered suspected spinal injuries.
Angle Vale B-grade ruckman and father of one Craig Wilson, 22, was playing in Two Wells on Saturday afternoon when he was knocked to the ground by a tackle in the fourth quarter at about 2.30pm.
In the rough landing he is thought to have injured his neck and spine.
He was reportedly unable to feel his arms and legs.
Team trainers including his mother came to his aid from the sideline.
A Medstar helicopter was dispatched to the field just before 3pm, taking Mr Wilson to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for more scans and the treatment of suspected spinal and head injuries.
Angle Vale club president Dean Nisbett said it was terrible to see anyone injured during a football game and said he and the club would rally behind Mr Wilson.
“As a club we wish him a speedy recovery and we will be there to help him and his family,” Mr Nisbett said.
“His mum Kathryn and his brother Dylan are a big part of our club.
“We’ll get behind them and do what we can to get Craig back on his feet.
“You don’t wish this kind of thing on any player but footy is a sport that is so unpredictable that anything could happen.”
For Mr Wilson the possible spinal injury is a tragic case of deja vu.
In May 2014, when he was only 17 years old, he was knocked unconscious for several minutes after being hit in the head by an elbow while playing for Angle Vale against Fitzroy.
It was only his fifth senior game.
As he recovered from the traumatic injury which left him with no feeling from the neck down, Mr Wilson told The Sunday Mail he couldn’t remember much about the collision.
He was in hospital for 11 days gradually regaining feeling to his arms and legs.
After being released he begun intensive rehabilitation which helped him get back to the playing field after several years.
Mr Wilson is understood to be expecting another child.
