Non-league Club Bans 'micro' Shin Pads After 'unbearable' Injury To Forward

Non-league Ilfracombe Town person banned 'micro' shin pads aft guardant Riley Martin suffered an "unbearable" double-leg break successful a South West Peninsula League lucifer astatine nan weekend.

While location are presently nary plans to prohibition nan usage of nan pads, nan Football Association says nan usage of 'mini' shin pads has nan imaginable to "increase nan consequence of injury".

Ilfracombe Town's fixture astatine Bridport connected Saturday was abandoned aft Martin collapsed his fibula and tibia during a 50-50 situation pinch nan location goalkeeper.

"The first sound of it was unbearable. It was for illustration a shotgun going off," Ilfracombe Town president Nick Jupp told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"There is nary blasted connected Riley astatine each for wearing micro shin pads but I deliberation if he had much sum connected nan shin area pinch bigger shin pads, nan wounded could person been little than it was."

While shin guards are mandatory nether nan laws of nan game, nan rules astir them are vague.

They presently authorities that pads must beryllium covered wholly by socks, made of a suitable worldly (rubber, integrative aliases similar) and supply a reasonable grade of protection.

Further FA guidance, external says: "The magnitude of shin physically covered is an important consideration, arsenic immoderate portion of nan shin that is not covered is not arsenic good protected.

"'Micro' aliases 'mini' shin pads whitethorn truthful summation nan consequence of wounded owed to nan smaller magnitude of shin covered compared to larger sized shin pads.

"We counsel that erstwhile considering nan protection offered by shin pads, information is prioritised by ensuring a bully proportionality of nan shin area is covered and truthful protected."

The International Football Association Board (Ifab), football's lawmaker, has been contacted for comment.

Ifab has antecedently said it has nary plans to alteration nan rules and stressed that players - aliases nan parents aliases guardians of younker players - must return work for their ain information connected nan pitch.

"Players' legs are each different sizes and location are truthful galore different materials," a spokesperson said.

"Ifab's position is that this is nan work of nan individual subordinate and not nan referee. Where young players are concerned, that work [should beryllium taken by nan coach, parents aliases guardians]."

In a statement, Ilfracombe Town said they person now prohibited "the usage of micro shin pads crossed each property groups and squads, from younker teams done to elder teams".

They added: "This determination has been made successful nan liking of subordinate information and welfare, and to guarantee that each players are equipped pinch protective cogwheel that meets required information standards."

They are not nan first nine to travel this people of action.

Penistone Church successful Barnsley and a number of others transverse nan little reaches of nan crippled person taken akin decisions and support their stance.

Club president Jupp added: "I deliberation clubs request to look intimately astatine subordinate use and information regarding these micro shin pads. The support we've had connected societal media truthful acold is unbelievable.

"A batch of grassroots clubs successful nan South West person banned them since we put retired a connection connected Sunday evening."