In The Guardian Today about Hume

Barnsley bring in Old Trafford lawyer for advice on horror challenge Daniel Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday November 12 2008 00.01 GMT
The Guardian, Wednesday November 12 2008

Iain Hume (pictured) was hospitalised with a fractured skull following Chris Morgan's elbow to the head. Photograph: Daniel Hambury/Empics Sport/PA Photos

Manchester United's top lawyer, Maurice Watkins, has been brought in by Barnsley to look at the possibility of taking legal action against Sheffield United's defender Chris Morgan for the elbow on Iain Hume that has left him in hospital with a fractured skull.

Watkins was approached by Barnsley's owner, Patrick Cryne, to act on the club's behalf over an incident that, in the words of the Barnsley manager, Simon Davey, could have left Hume in "the mortuary". The striker needed an emergency operation and could miss the rest of the season even though Barnsley reported an improvement in his condition last night.

"I went to see Iain and he was conscious although he had not slept since the incident and was not the most talkative," said Davey. "He is out of the high-dependency unit now and they have moved him to a hospital ward, which is good news, although he still has tubes sticking out of his head. The operation went well but he is very down and very angry. He has a scar that runs from his forehead in the shape of a horseshoe right round to his ear. He is black and blue, his head is swollen and he is a mess."

Davey has described as "an absolute disgrace" the referee Andy D'Urso's decision to show Morgan only a yellow card rather than send him off. There is considerable anger at Barnsley and they have pledged to back the 25-year-old Hume, their £1.2m record signing, if he wants to pursue legal action against Morgan, a former Barnsley player.

"The board are discussing it with the legal people on how to take it further," said Davey. "For me, the most important thing is the player is well, he recovers and everything with his family is OK. We have lost a player but there is more to life than football and it's lucky that the player is in the hospital and not the mortuary."

Hume, who has won three caps for Canada, had gone home after Saturday's match at Oakwell, but started to feel groggy during the evening before his condition rapidly deteriorated. "If he'd gone to sleep, and if his father-in-law and wife hadn't been so caring, we might have lost him," Davey added. "That's why I'm so angry that it wasn't taken a bit more seriously.

"The game is a physical game and things go on that we've all seen and all been involved in but, for me, the referee didn't take action. We were a bit concerned as Iain mentioned himself in the first half that he'd had a lot of treatment from the opposition and had been caught with an elbow 10 minutes previous to the one that fractured his skull. We felt we weren't getting any protection, culminating in a player landing in hospital. That was the most frustrating part - that I didn't feel we were getting the right treatment as a club and the right protection."

A spokesman for Sheffield United said they had nothing to add to Monday's statement of sympathy for Hume.

 

I thought Mr Cryne hadn't any football connections

According to some on here? Sir Alex putting Mr Watkins' name Mr Cryne's way, perhaps?

 

RE: I thought Mr Cryne hadn't any football connections

Cryne knows Watkins anyway I think - back when Mr C had business connections in Manchester etc - I stand correcting on that.

 

Didn't Mr. Cryne bring in Nardiello due to his friendship with Alex F.?

 

Incorrect reporting again? Hume THREE caps for Canada?

I would have thought he had three already this season, never mind all the ones before it

 

I think ,but i maybe wrong but i think they share some common interests like the Wine thing and P,C. has a box at Old Trafford

 

Also £1.2m record signing? I thought Hristov cost £1.5m?

 

RE: Incorrect reporting again? Hume THREE caps for Canada?

Oh they're slightly wrong. He has 26 caps!

 

what the **** does it matter whether its reported that hume has 100 or 3 or 53 caps for canada!!!! or whether he is our most expensive signing or not!!!!! this has no relevance to the fact that hume suffered what could have been a life threatrening injury, and possibly could have died as a result!!! so to all you smart alec poindexters, get a life!!!!!

 

It's their job to get the facts right. nt

 

Why mention it in the article then? It's called attention to detail and professionalism. If you're going to mention something get it right.

 

Get a life?

I have one, thanks for asking. Of course it matters more that Iain Hume gets well from this shocking assault but, in the meantime, it would be nice if journalists could get their facts right before writing a story. Two errors in one short report. If I were a journalist I would be embarrassed to submit that for copy, but then again it is only Barnsley so it doesn't matter much does it?

 

pointless and irrelevant facts in view of the situation, and its possible consequences...

 

That's a warning, havana.

Crimes against exclamation marks. Next one and you're off.

 

yep i am aware of my exclamation over-usage problem and am currently seeking therapy!! ****, failed again...

 

Time to ask for another loan striker from Man Utd?

Would be nice, one or two there could do a job.

And before anyone says owt, I'm on about their reserve players not Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov!

 

If you're going to write something

It should be written with good care and attention and not contain factual errors.

Yes it's not the important part of this matter but folk have a point.

 

Yes, of course Iain Hume's health is the first priority at the moment. We all want him to recover quickly and to see him play for the Reds as soon as possible.

It's already quite depressing to read this board as most of the threads are about the Morgan vs Hume incident, so I think it's just good that people talk about something else as well... Of course the incident needs to be discussed though, I just wish there was some better news for a change...

 

It won't be the only error in content or spelling in the Guardian