Andros Townsend hit by pitch roller while warming up in Thai league

Andros Townsend warms up prior to a Thai League 1 match. File pic: Apinya Rittipo/Getty Images

Former England forward Andros Townsend was nearly run over by a ​motorised pitch roller while warming up ‌with his Prachuap teammates at half-time during a Thai League 1 match on Saturday.

The ​35-year-old avoided serious injury and later ​made a brief appearance in the ⁠match at Pattani.

The former Tottenham Hotspur ​player did not see the roller, driven ​by a ground staff member, coming towards him when he stepped out of the practice ​area to attempt a pass.

The roller ​knocked Townsend over and drove up his legs ‌nearly ⁠to his waist before the driver jumped off and tried to lift it off the player.

Townsend got back up ​and continued ​practicing, and ⁠came on as a late substitute while Prachuap cruised ​to a 3-0 victory.

"Turns out Stoke ​away ⁠wasn't so bad after all," Townsend later wrote on Instagram, joking about the ⁠English ​side Stoke City's reputation ​as a tough place for visiting teams to ​play.

Here's a moment that will shock you, as it did with @AnnaJonesSky and @KamaliMelbourne...@SkyJacquie shows a clip of former England player Andros Townsend being run over by a roller ahead of a match in Thailand.

Fortunately, the 35-year-old avoided any serious injury. pic.twitter.com/U8gKXv0V8A

— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 20, 2026