Coulson’s gratitude to LARS op

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s move to Manchester United was also delayed by a year due to the same problem, while York City’s Scott Kerr was deemed to have made a quick return to action when he took seven months to recover from what has often been every footballer’s worst nightmare.

The sight of Michael Coulson’s name on a Minstermen team sheet just five months after he suffered cruciate knee ligament damage at today’s opponents Accrington Stanley has, therefore, raised eyebrows in treatment rooms up and down the country.

Coulson, 24, has become English football’s pioneer of the LARS synethetic ligament that has, until now, been a medical solution largely enjoyed by Australian athletes only.

The success of LARS (The Ligament Augementation and Restoration System) has been measured by the acclaimed comeback of Australian Rules footballer Nick Malceski who, following the procedure, went on to help Sydney Swans win last year’s AFL Grand Final.

Other participants in that sport, like Anthony Morabito and Campbell Heath, have followed his example with encouraging results having both suffered two previous ruptures, like Coulson, before opting for an artificial ligament, made from industrial strength polyester fibres, rather than waiting for their own to mend following the traditional treatment methods.

Early signs, up to five years down the line, suggest the re-rupture rate for a LARS patient is no different to those who have undergone conventional reconstruction operations.

Unlike previous artificial ligament experiments, which reported a 48 per cent incidence of synovitis, there has been no evidence either of any link to the painful inflammation normally endured by arthritis sufferers.

With no discernible drawbacks and a swifter recovery guaranteed, Coulson was understandably delighted when Dr Neil Hunt, of York Hospital, offered him the option of LARS surgery.

The Scarborough-born attacker was sidelined for the best part of 2008 and 2009 when suffering cruciate damage twice in the space of a year while with Championship club Barnsley. Unsurprisingly, he is now fielding phone calls from fellow footballers in the same predicament.

“It’s a shorter recovery because you don’t have to wait for your ligament to heal and that’s the advantage of having it done because it gets you back in four months,” Coulson said of the benefits of LARS.

“I’ve actually had a couple of players ring me up already about the operation and, maybe, it might become more popular here now.

“I hope it does because getting back in four months is a great bonus.

“It’s a procedure that has been around for a long time but it’s not been used much in England.

“The operation itself was no different really to what I’ve had in the past though. I was in for one night and walked out the next day.

“The artificial ligament is like a rope that is wrapped right around the hamstring of my right leg and, hopefully, it should be double strength now because I don’t want to go through this again.”

Kath funeral

The funeral of York City super fan Kath Rowe will be held at York Crematorium in Bishopthorpe on Tuesday, April 16.

Kath, who went 24-and-a-half years without missing a single Minstermen match between 1986 and 2011, died at the age of 74 after suffering from Alzheimer’s.

The service will start at 11am with the wake due to take place at Bootham Crescent afterwards.

Kath’s husband George has asked for family flowers only but money donations will be accepted on the day and split between the Alzheimer’s Society and Meadowfields CUE.

Sentinel Smith marches on to top of rankings

CHRIS Smith has won The Press Player of the Month award for March.

The City skipper who is also six points clear at the top of our Player of the Year contest, collected the honours for the third month of 2013 with two points as The Press’ second-highest rated player during the 0-0 draw at Bristol Rovers.

Our man-of-the-match Jack O’Connell (three) and third-highest rated player Michael Coulson (one) received the other points on offer at the Memorial Ground.

Tom Platt, meanwhile, won the two Player of the Month bonus points after polling the most man-of-the-match votes from visitors to our website.

During Monday’s 2-0 home win over Plymouth, The Press man-of-the-match Dan Parslow (three points), Ashley Chambers (two) and David McGurk (one) were recognised.

The Player of the Month bonus points went to Richard Cresswell.

To be in with a chance of presenting March’s Player of the Month with their award – a framed photograph – before a City home game, vote for your man of the match from today’s Bootham Crescent clash with Accrington Stanley.

You can also tweet your choice to @daveflettpress

The Press Player of the Year latest standings (not including Player of the Month bonus points): C Smith 34 points, Ingham 28, Parslow 28, Blair 22, O’Connell 18, Fyfield 17, Chambers 16, Walker 16, Kerr 13, Kearns 12, Oyebanjo 11, McGurk 10, Coulson 8, McLaughlin 6, Potts 6, Carlisle 5, J Smith 5, McGrath 4, Carson 3, Doig 3, Rankine 3, Reed 3, Blanchett 2, Obeng 2, Rodman 2, Taylor 2, Challinor 1, Johnson 1, Platt 1.

The Press Player of the Month for March final standings: Smith 12, Ingham 8, O’Connell 6, Carson 4, Oyebanjo 4, Fyfield 3, Platt 3, Blair 2, McGrath 2, Rankine 2, Coulson 1, Walker 1.

The Press Player of the Month for April latest standings: Parslow 3, Chambers 2, Cresswell 2, McGurk 1.

Goals: Chambers 9, Walker 9, Blair 6, Coulson 5, McLaughlin 4, Reed 4, own goals 3, Potts 3, C Smith 3, Cresswell 2, Parslow 1, Rodman 1.

Assists: Walker 7, Chambers 6, J Smith 5, Blair 4, C Smith 4, Kearns 3, McLaughlin 3, Parslow 3, Carlisle 2, Coulson 2, Kerr 2, McGrath 2, Rodman 2, Carson 1, Challinor 1, Cresswell 1, Fyfield 1, Reed 1.

Bad boys: Chambers, C Smith 6 yellow cards; Kerr 1 red, 3 yellow; Fyfield, Ingham both 3 yellow; Blair, Coulson, McGurk, McLaughlin, O’Connell, Oyebanjo, Parslow, Potts all 2 yellow; Carlisle, Carson, Challinor, Cresswell, Doig, Johnson, Rodman, J Smith, Walker all 1 yellow.