Club and Shawcross Issue Statement Posted on: Sat 27 Feb 2010
STOKE CITY would like to send their best wishes to Aaron Ramsey and Arsenal Football Club after the midfielder suffered what appeared to be a badly broken leg in the Barclays Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Club do, however, wish to make it quite clear that there was absolutely no malice in the challenge from Ryan Shawcross which caused the injury.
The 19-year-old Welsh international was stretchered off after a 66th minute incident which led to Shawcross being shown a red card by referee Peter Walton.
Manager Tony Pulis said: "On behalf of everyone at Stoke City, we would like to express our deepest sympathy to Aaron and Arsenal at what has happened today.
"Our thoughts are with him and his family. We hope he makes a speedy recovery and everyone here wishes to see him back on a football field as soon as possible."
Shawcross has also issued a statement, saying: "There was absolutely no malice in the challenge. I would never, ever go out to hurt a fellow professional.
"I am deeply upset that Aaron has suffered such a bad injury and my thoughts are with him. I would like to send him my best wishes too for a speedy recovery."
The Football Club and Pulis have defended Shawcross for his part in the incident with the manager adding: "Ryan Shawcross has no bad blood in him whatsoever. There is no way in a million years he would ever go out to try and hurt someone.
"The lad was heartbroken at what has happened, you could see as he came off the pitch that he was in tears and he feels devastated that Aaron has been so badly injured." |