A former Manchester United striker is claiming £7 million in compensation for damages regarding allegations that a surgeon ended his Premier League career.
The former England Under-21s star commented that the surgeon in question carried out an unnecessary operation, with the striker never playing in the Premier League after that point.
The now retired striker in question is Sylvan Ebanks-Blake who, after coming through the United academy, is most well known for his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers between January 2008 and July 2013.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
Whilst with Wolves, Ebanks-Blake made 193 appearances, with 62 goals and 19 assists, helping them win the Championship in 2008/09 to see their promotion to the Premier League.
The striker was also the Championship’s top goalscorer for two seasons running, in 2007/08 and 2008/09.
However, in the 2012/13 season, Ebanks-Blake suffered a leg fracture which brought an end to his Premier League career, falling down the leagues until playing for non-league clubs.
It’s understood that the surgery performed for his recovery included an operation on the fracture, as well as an arthroscopy, or key-hole surgery, to the footballer’s ankle to remove cartilage.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
A “microfracture” procedure was also completed i nthe underlying bone to trigger fresh fibrocartilage growth.
Now, The Times has reported that the former striker alleges that the surgery performed following his leg fracture, was not only “destructive”, but also was done without proper consent.
Simeon Maskrey KC, for Ebanks-Blake, told High Court Judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, on Wednesday: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
However, lawyers for surgeon, James Calder, denied the allegations, claiming that Ebank-Blake had “an over-optimistic view of his own powers of recovery”.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
Martin Forde KC, representing the surgeon, commented that Calder had in fact prolonged Ebanks-Blake’s ability to continue playing football professionally, despite having suffered “a very serious injury”.
The surgeon’s lawyers claimed that he performed the ankle part of the operation after finding problems with the cartilage which he considered would have gotten worse if the surgery hadn’t been done.
However, the lawyers of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake expressed that following the surgery, the player experienced “stiffness and reduction of movement” in the effected ankle when it had been fine before.
As of yet there has been no result in the trial, with the disputes continuing.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
