Alan Hutton has backed Eduardo da Silva to return to full fitness from his horror leg break.
Spurs defender shares Gunners striker's pain
Alan Hutton has backed Eduardo da Silva to return to full fitness from his horror leg break.
The Tottenham defender knows only too well what the Arsenal striker is going through after breaking his right leg in two places while with Rangers back in 2005.
Eduardo will be out for at least nine months after suffering the sickening injury in a tackle by Birmingham's Martin Taylor at the weekend.
Hutton was able to look at pictures of his own injury, but could not bring himself to watch the Eduardo incident.
Memories
He said: "I couldn't even watch the Eduardo tackle on the highlights as I was cringing.
"It brought back a lot of memories. People don't realise how serious my leg break was. I went to take the ball away and the boy's knees went into my shin. My leg just wrapped around it and I broke both bones.
"I still remember being in the ambulance and asking: 'How long will it take me to get back?' That's all I was concerned with.
"The next day I got the papers and all it was for days afterwards was pictures showing the tackle. To actually see my leg just hanging somewhere it shouldn't have been was kind of daunting.
"My mum and dad tried not to show me the papers at first, but I wanted to see it. I don't know why, but I just wanted to see. It was a real hard thing to take.
"I'd like to wish Eduardo the best because I know what he's going through. It will take a long time, but I'm sure he'll get back to playing."
Buzz
Hutton admitted there were times when he was unsure he would make it back onto the field, but the feeling of his comeback game is one he will never forget.
He added: "Even when I was back training, it maybe took me a season to get back to playing the way I knew I could.
"There was definitely a point when I questioned if I was going to come back.
"I've still got a metal rod in my right leg and one screw, but there's no point taking them out because it doesn't bother me now.
"I remember coming back after my injury and it felt like it was my first ever game again. The crowd went mental and all the hairs stood up on the back of my neck again, but what a feeling, what a buzz, and then it all became worth it."
