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How injured players were treated back in the day.

The caption said an unconscious Ted Drake; looks like the Arsenal player on the left is Denis Compton. I would imagine this was from the 50s when a cold bucket of water and grubby sponge, followed by the words "run it off",  was used to treat all conscious players. 

Comments

  • Not 50’s Drake would be retired from playing. The 50’s were the era of Drake’s ducklings at Stamford Bridge
  • In the days before subs, injured players invariably had to hobble through the rest of the game out wide.

    In the picture above, you can clearly see the trainer helping Ted Drake into his new position on the left wing.
    They were real men in those days.



  • ‘Magic sponge’

    Yes boys and girls, pre colour tv, internet, iPhones and fiction such as Harry Potter, football clubs used to employ wizards as their ‘physios’ and if a player went down injured they’d rush across the pitch with their magic sponges and the injured player would miraculously get better...ask your dad or granddad
  • Big slug from hip flask, "run it off fella".
  • I'd say it was the 30's as there were no numbers on the players backs, well the one with his back to the camera anyway.
  • The pitch looks nice.
  • Big slug from hip flask, "run it off fella".
    That was it in those days, no rolling about in agony, or falling to the ground as if you'd been shot, and then two minutes later, running around as if nothing had happened.  Back then it was the cold sponge on the back of your neck, then told to get on with it, or, if you were still able to stand, then it was out on the wing for the rest of the game.
  • edited October 2019
    Back in the day, the most torturous use of the cold sponge was the ‘down the front of the shorts method’ applied immediately following a kick (or similar), in the nuts......it was all they could offer.  :o
    Been there done it on more than a few occasions.
  • Back in the day, the most torturous use of the cold sponge was the ‘down the front of the shorts method’ applied immediately following a kick (or similar), in the nuts......it was all they could offer.  :o
    Been there done it on more than a few occasions.
    What about during football matches?  :)
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