Hamstring? Metatarsal? That's nothing next to our brave Jay McEveley

By Robbie Savage

Published 23:00 05/11/09

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You know you're having a bad run of injuries when one of your players actually dies!

You'll have read in yesterday's Mirror how our Derby defender Jay McEveley went into hospital to have a routine operation on a fractured cheekbone, only to have his heart stop for two minutes while he was under the knife.

It must have been a scary time for Jay and his family but I'm sure he'll agree it was one step up from doing a hamstring or a metatarsal. It's certainly knocked Dean Leacock's mumps into a cocked hat!

The unbelievable thing was Jay was back in training the next day, walking round like nothing had happened.

Everyone at the club is taking it as a sign that things can only get better from here injurywise and with Stephen Pearson now fit and Paul Green due to come back against Coventry tonight, we reckon we can start to move back up towards safety.

I had my own bit of drama this week - although compared to Jay's it was nothing.

George Urquhart and I had to face an FA disciplinary committee yesterday because rather than having a written agreement we'd just been operating on a handshake. That's now against FA rules.

Contrary to what some of you might think, it's only my second brush with an FA panel. The first was for using Graham Poll's toilet a few years back which cost me £10,000 - the most expensive poo I've ever taken!

This time George and I simply admitted we'd made an error of judgement because we didn't realise the rules had changed before he re-negotiated my Blackburn contract.

Though there's an old legal saying that anyone who represents himself has got a fool for client, I conducted my own defence on the charges and it went well. We both got a warning and George was also fined £500 in what I think was a victory for common sense on all sides.

The panels have a formal, courtroom atmosphere but I couldn't help smiling at one thought.

The case was heard at Eastlands and I wondered if any passing Manchester City fans clocked me and thought that instead of David Villa or Thierry Henry, Mark Hughes' first transfer window signing was going to be Robbie Savage!

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