Arnold saga rumbles on

SLADE GREEN are expected to seek advice from the football authorities over comments made by supporters on an unofficial fans’ forum, concerning the injury sustained by Tunbridge Wells goalkeeper Chris Arnold on Tuesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

Tunbridge Wells earned a trip to Sussex County League side Horsham YMCA in the FA Cup preliminary round on Saturday, 30^th August, after beating their Bulmers Cider Kent League rivals 2-1 in the extra preliminary round replay at Culverden Stadium, after drawing the first game, at The Small Glen.

Slade Green’s press officer Robert Smith spoke about the fifteenth minute incident.

“Following a collision with Green defender Ben Payne, Chris Arnold lay dormant on the ground with a suspected dislocated knee before being taken to hospital which saw the game delayed for a full 22 minutes.”

The match report on Tunbridge Wells’ website said: “Chris Arnold, the Wells stopper - who suffered a back injury in the first game on Saturday - appeared to be targeted by Slade Green, and was left needing treatment no less than three times in less than 15 minutes.

“On 15 minutes, however, he was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering a suspected dislocated knee after a rash challenge from Ben Payne which only brought about a yellow card.”

But comments, written on an unofficial fans’ forum, which can be accessed via another Kent League club’s official website, has forced Slade Green to take action.

“We would like to put on record our disgust at the statement made on both the Tunbridge Wells and Kent League forum websites this week following Tuesday night’s FA Cup replay at Tunbridge Wells,” said a statement issued by Slade Green.

“At no point on Tuesday did our side set out to injure the Tunbridge Wells keeper and our thoughts are with him as he recovers from his injury.

“The comments and quotes are both damming and slanderous against both Slade Green Football Club and our manager Matt Longhurst and we will be taking the matter further.

“For the record we would be grateful if the administrator of the Kent League forum would get in contact with us via our email address sladegreen477994@aol.com or contact Robert Smith on 07850 413 755.”

Speaking about the incident, at the bottom of the match report, published on his official club website, Wells manager Mike Robbins admitted his side were “bullied” by their Kent League rivals.

"I expected Slade Green to play a little more football than they did tonight - they are good at that,” said Robbins.

"Not many teams come to Culverden and bully us, but that is what they tried.

“The referee should have got hold of things far sooner than he did - and to be honest it’s lucky that no one else suffered a major injury.

“I think that out of the two teams, we were better over the two games, and deserve the chance to go to Horsham YMCA in the preliminary round.”

Yesterday, Tunbridge Wells issued a statement, regarding the extent of Arnold’s injury.

“Following on from the injury picked up by goalkeeper Chris Arnold last night - an injury that saw him taken to hospital, we can report that Chris was due to go into surgery as this news item was being published,” said the statement.

“The news is not good: Chris has dislocated his knee cap, and ruptured tendons below his knee. He is being operated on today (20^th August) and is looking at three months on the sidelines.”

Martin Larkin, Tunbridge Wells’ assistant manager, added: “Mike Robbins and I are obviously stated for him as it is no coincidence that our great form since the turn of the year coincided with Chris joining us.

“The club will obviously give Chris everything he needs in his rehab and hope to see him back in between the sticks as soon as possible.”

The club statement added: “Chris, meantime, would like to thank his team mates for last night’s performance, as they maintained his record of never losing a game at Culverden, and Larkin thanked the paramedics who attended to Chris, and who, as always, delivered the highest level of medical care.

“We are sure you will join us in wishing Chris an uncomplicated, and relatively pain-free recovery.”

Tonight, Mr Smith, issued a statement on behalf of Slade Green manager Matt Longhurst, concerning the Arnold incident.

Longhurst said: “It is disappointing to read comments by people that I would send a team out to deliberately injure a player or players.

“This would never be the case and I am looking into such comments a great deal at this moment.

“I have read several websites and seen some idiotic remarks from people that do not know me inside the dressing room and am currently looking into further action against slanderous comments like that.

“You have to accept that players make tackles and people get injured - it’s a contact sport.

“I wouldn’t allow a malicious player in my dressing room and certainly wouldn’t set out to hurt someone on purpose.

“I find it a disgrace that people in the League would write such things about myself and my team.

“We had a team out on Tuesday that had an average age of 20-years-old, not a physical presence, I don’t think.”