Clubs are being offered special covers to protect players from potentially dangerous goalposts after a goalkeeper suffered a horrific injury which put him out of action for more than five months.
All Premier League and EFL sides have been offered a free solution by a manufacturer following a sickening incident at a League Two match that triggered a competition-wide alert.
Grimsby goalkeeper Jake Eastwood was stretchered off after catching his leg on a triangle-shaped metal bracket subsequently found to be commonplace across the country and beyond.
The then 27-year-old slid into a post trying to keep a header out and was left with a ruptured patellar tendon. He underwent surgery and has not started a match since the fixture, which took place on September 28, although he has been on the bench for the Mariners since March 1.
As Mail Sport revealed, a concerned PFA took up the case and flagged serious concerns. As a result, a survey was sent out to find out how many clubs were using the goals. The findings were that the majority were doing so.
While the posts in question were manufactured by a company called Harrod Sport, which supplies most clubs, a rival firm, Net World Sports (FORZA), set about finding a solution and now believes it has come up with the answer in the shape of a padded cover which fits over the bracket, where the goalpost meets the frame which keeps the net in place on the ground and is described as ‘raised metal triangle’.
Grimsby goalkeeper Jake Eastwood was stretchered off after catching his leg on a triangle-shaped metal bracket
The then 27-year-old underwent surgery and has not started a match since the fixture, which took place on September 28
Each club across the English game has been offered four of the covers free of charge. Net World Sports say they do not interfere with VAR or goal line technology.
Following the injury Grimsby boss David Artell – who was forced to bring a 17-year-old keeper off the bench – condemned the equipment involved and suggested that a tragedy had been avoided.
Read More
INSIDE SPORT: Concerns over ‘horrific’ goalposts after keeper’s knee is sliced open
‘You can’t have such a sharp piece of metal sticking out right behind the posts,’ he told BBC Radio Humberside. ‘These goals are widely used but it’s obviously a design flaw because that can’t happen. We now lose a goalkeeper for an extended period of time because of the design of a goal.
‘If it’s any consolation it’s his knee and not his head, because it could have been absolutely disastrous.’
A spokesperson for Harrod Sport expressed his sympathy for Eastwood. He added that goal and bracket met industry standards.
Robbie Hayter, of Net World Sports, said: ‘Once aware of the incident, we wanted to help. While the goal in question wasn’t ours, providing a solution was in everyone’s best interest. All goals that we supply into stadiums comply to safety standards. We are committed to innovation and continuously improving goalpost safety.’
