Ramsey recalls moment he saw ‘my leg hanging at an angle’, how doctor in ambulance gave him hope of recovery and reveals Spurs fans offered support
Suffering a horrific leg break demanded the midfielder dig deep, with the support he received crucial to his eventual return
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR fans were among the thousands sending Aaron Ramsey messages of support after he broke his leg in 2010, he has revealed.
Ahead of his departure from Arsenal, the Welshman has recalled seeing his leg "at an angle" after a Ryan Shawcross tackle broke both his tibia and fibula.
At the time, Ramsey was only a teenager still trying to break into the Gunners team and the injury took nine months to overcome.
Writing on the Arsenal website, Ramsey recalled: "I remember what happened clearly.
"After the tackle went in I saw that my leg was broken and hanging at an angle. That’s when I was really fearing for the worst.
"I was still only 19, my leg wasn’t right and I didn’t know what would happen to me next.
"The medical team ran on to give me gas and air, and then I was in the back of an ambulance.
It was just about trusting the medical professionals around me to get me back to fitness.
Aaron Ramsey
"When I was on the way to the hospital, the doctor told me straight away that we would get through this, and that I would get back to where I was. I believed in it, and the medical staff and specialists believed I was able to handle it mentally.
"They had to move my kneecap aside, put a metal rod through the middle of the bone and attached it with two screws up there.
"From there the new bone started to grow and then it was just about trusting the medical professionals around me to get me back to fitness."
Shawcross was sent off for breaking Ramsey's leg as Arsenal went on to win 3-1 in emotional scenes, Cesc Fabregas and co. clearly affected by their teammate's injury.
GET WELL SOON
In the immediate aftermath, the midfielder relied on family and friends to remain mentally strong - with messages coming in from some unlikely sources.
He continued: ";I also had my fantastic family and friends around me, which helped me through that time.
"To be around them, and to see them more than I usually do, was really nice. They were a massive help.
"Besides that I had loads of support from all different types of fans, from all around the world.
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"I think there were 80,000 messages left on the club's website and I got a lot of letters.
"Even from Tottenham fans – saying I was a really talented player, and that they were hoping I would come back as quickly as possible."
Ramsey returned to Arsenal action in March 2011 after loans at Nottingham Forest and Cardiff, and will leave North London this summer to sign for Juventus.
