Wrexham Star Discloses Horrific Injury: “This Could Be It For Me”
The horrific injury that Wrexham striker Paul Mullin sustained during a preseason match against Manchester United has been discussed in detail in The Athletic.
During their match against Manchester United of the Premier League during their preseason tour of America, the Dragons got to see a piece of history. The Welsh team’s celebration was marred by Paul Mullin’s injury after colliding with Nathan Bishop, the goalkeeper for the United team.
The 34,000 spectators at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego were alarmed by the incident. Bishop was removed from the game at halftime and received boos from the fans each time he touched the ball for the remainder of the contest. The celebrations for Wrexham’s famous striker, who was receiving oxygen as he was carried off the field and sent to the hospital, were dampened by worries for his well-being as the team went on to win the game 3-1 and claim the Snapdragon Cup.
“I was trying to breathe in but nothing was happening. I couldn’t get air into my lungs. That’s when I knew it was bad. In that struggle for breath, with my lips turning blue, I accepted that this could be it for me. That’s how it felt. I couldn’t breathe properly for a few minutes.”
Mullin would be told he had punctured his lung following the reckless challenge, and he revealed that he had also fractured four ribs. As Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney returned to the UK for the club’s opening day fixture against MK Dons, Mullin would have to remain in Los Angeles until he was fit to return himself. And Mullin explained his heartbreak missing the return to the EFL, a day the club had waited 15 years for and one they might not have been experiencing without his goalscoring prowess.
“To miss out on that game, the one we spent the past two years dreaming of, our first one back in the EFL, was difficult.”
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The Welsh club’s start to the season has not been the return to the EFL that they had hoped for. Their opening-day fixture showed they are capable of scoring goals without Mullin, but they tasted defeat at the hands of MK Dons in an eight-goal thriller, the Dons coming out 5-3 winners. Their EFL cup clash with League One Wigan Athletic saw them win on penalties, but a draw to Wimbledon left them waiting another game for their first league win, which they secured against Walsall.
Writer’s View
Mullin’s injury caused a lot of concern in the footballing world. The news of his recovery since has been nothing but positive, with the forward having now returned to the UK and his timeline seemingly having stepped up. Phil Parkinson and Wrexham seem to have missed him so far with their struggles in the league, and hopefully, his return will see him playing at the same ability he was before his injury.