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CRACKING UP

Alex Salmond reveals he cracked a rib during a penalty shoot-out and is in ‘agony’ on the campaign trail

Former Scottish first minister suffered the injury after scoring a goal at a fair last weekend

ALEX Salmond has revealed he cracked a rib during a penalty shoot-out and has been in “agony” for days on the campaign trail.

The former Scottish first minister said he suffered the injury after scoring a goal during a visit to a village gala day in Aberdeenshire last weekend.

 Alex Salmond revealed he cracked a rib during a penalty shoot-out
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Alex Salmond revealed he cracked a rib during a penalty shoot-outCredit: PA
 He said he has been in 'agony' this week on the campaign trail
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He said he has been in 'agony' this week on the campaign trailCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

He revealed details of the incident at the Kintore Summer Festival when he appeared on Scotland's Talk In on Bauer Radio this afternoon.

The ex-SNP leader said: "Listeners would have heard me cough occasionally, it's not so much that I've got a cold, I can't cough properly because I cracked my rib and it's agony every time I try to cough, or laugh, or sneeze - sneezing is the worst incidentally."

He said it had been "monsoon conditions" when he went round the various stalls at the event.

 It is not the first time playing football has caused him problems however
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It is not the first time playing football has caused him problems howeverCredit: PA
 He said he wanted it noting that he did score with the penalty
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He said he wanted it noting that he did score with the penaltyCredit: Getty Images

Mr Salmond said: "There was this penalty competition where you have to spin round the top 10 times, which makes you dizzy obviously. I spun round the top 10 times, scored with the penalty and then fell flat on my face.

"I thought nothing of it, I jumped up and was fine, but at 10 o'clock on the Saturday night, my ribs started to ache.

"It was really, really score. But I want it noted I did score with the penalty."

It is not the first time his on-pitch antics have caused him problems – after a series of embarrassing pictures of him trying to play football emerged in 2014.

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