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Ex-Premier League winger Andros Townsend found himself in a shocking incident in Thailand on Saturday after being struck by an out-of-control pitch roller.
Townsend, best known for his time at Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace during his Premier League career, was going through his pre-match warm-up for Thai club PT Prachuap when the mishap occurred. A groundskeeper was driving the roller onto the pitch while players were training ahead of kickoff. While attempting to control a ball during a drill, Townsend unknowingly wandered into the machine's path and was knocked down when it was unable to stop or swerve in time.
Thankfully, the former England international escaped largely unharmed and was in high enough spirits to poke fun at the situation on social media. "It turns out Stoke away wasn't so bad after all," he posted on Instagram.
Crazy Scenes as Andros Townsend gets ran over by a Roller!
Luckily he wasn't badly hurt afterwards, could've ended soo much worse
Welcome to the Thai League pic.twitter.com/EGI2jGfK6r
The 35-year-old was struck and pulled under the roller, which rolled over his left leg and briefly pinned him beneath it. The incident could have resulted in devastating consequences for Townsend, but fortunately he came away relatively unscathed.
A few minor cuts and bruises on his left thigh appeared to be the full extent of his injuries. Townsend did feature in the match, though only as a late substitute in the dying seconds. He had previously started both of Prachuap's Thai League 1 matches in the 2026–27 season. His limited involvement didn't matter, however, as three goals and a clean sheet proved enough to secure victory over Pattani.
Townsend Extends Career After Leaving Premier League
Townsend has been based in Thailand for just over a year. He departed England in 2024 following 12 straight seasons as a Premier League player, with his final stints coming at Everton and Luton Town. His first venture overseas took him to Türkiye with Antalyaspor, before he moved to Thailand to join Kanchanaburi Power at the beginning of the 2025–26 season. The club had just earned promotion at the time but were subsequently relegated from the top flight, prompting Townsend to move on to Prachuap.
In May 2026, Townsend sparked controversy by seemingly speaking out against sunglasses, questioning why people feel the need to shield their eyes from natural sunlight. He encouraged his social media followers to "let your eyes do their job," claiming that sun exposure prompts the brain to defend the body against UV rays. The U.K. Met Office, however, states that UV "significantly increases the risk of developing cataracts, a clouding of the eyes lens and the leading cause of blindness in the world."
The month after, Townsend once again shocked social media users by apparently consuming raw meat as part of his dietary routine.