'Stoke away wasn't so bad after all' - Andros Townsend jokes after bizarre pitch roller crash in Thailand

A terrifying incident unfolded at Tinsulanon Stadium when an out-of-control pitch roller struck Townsend as he warmed up ahead of Prachuap's away fixture against Pattani. The former Tottenham Hotspur winger briefly had his left leg and hip trapped underneath the heavy equipment before alarmed team-mates rushed to free him. Despite triggering widespread panic across the ground, Townsend miraculously escaped severe injury and even came on as a late stoppage-time substitute.

Instead of being shaken by the horrifying collision, the 13-cap former England international opted to find humour in the situation and shared it across his social media channels. Townsend reshared footage of the collision while light-heartedly comparing the bizarre moment to freezing, windswept away days at Stoke City during his Premier League playing career.

Commenting on the crash via his Instagram Story, Townsend posted: "It turns out Stoke away wasn't so bad after all. Swipe to see why."

The freak occurrence quickly went viral across social media, prompting an outpouring of relief alongside widespread amusement from supporters worldwide. Local observers in Thai football even crowned the attacker with a humorous moniker following his relaxed reaction to the frightening ordeal.

Replying to an online post that dubbed him 'The King of Memes in Thai League history', Townsend wrote back simply alongside four laughing emojis: "trust me"

A commanding 3-0 victory away at Pattani maintained Prachuap's encouraging run of form in Thai League 1. Although the veteran winger was fit enough to play the final few minutes, the club's medical staff are scheduled to run comprehensive checks on his hip and thigh contusions to rule out any complications. The experienced attacker will now aim to achieve full fitness before domestic action resumes after the upcoming fixtures break.