Mansfield Town midfielder George Maris is now on the mend

Mansfield Town midfielder George Maris appears to be making a good recovery from the horrific clash of heads with team mate James Clarke during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Oldham Athletic.
Mansfield Town midfielder George Maris receives treatment on Saturday. Photo by Chris Holloway/The Bigger Picture.mediaMansfield Town midfielder George Maris receives treatment on Saturday. Photo by Chris Holloway/The Bigger Picture.media
Mansfield Town midfielder George Maris receives treatment on Saturday. Photo by Chris Holloway/The Bigger Picture.media

It took a worrying 13 minutes to treat Maris and stretcher him off and he said on Tuesday: “It was bit of a whack and I feel a bit groggy still. But I'm all right.

“We know they like to play out so it was man for man and I saw their centre half go to clear the ball. I've read it but Clarkey has read it as well and he's come in the other way to me.

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“It was a car crash from then on. I kind of knew it was going to happen but it was one of those things where you can't avoid both going for the ball.£

Stags physio Tom Whittamore and his team were quickly on to tend to him and Maris said: “I remember hitting Clarkey and then from then the next thing was seeing Tom on after the five seconds or so I was out. I don't remember the ref blowing the whistle – that was the main thing.

“I actually thought I headed the ball but I have watched it back and it's Clarkey that headed it.

“After that I felt all right and Tom asked me a few questions. I knew where I was, knew the score, who we were playing. I was fine with all that. It was just that initial impact.

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“I think it hit the side of my next but my neck jolted with it.

“They brought oxygen on straight away but I am not sure I needed that.

“Then Tom had to do what he had to do to make sure I was all right with my neck. You couldn't move me because of my neck so that's what took so long.”

He added: “It's a bit stiff but I'm all right. Hopefully my head will settle down in the next few days and we'll go from there.

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“I don't want that to ever happen again. I said I never wanted to get stretchered off as well!

“It was nice to hear the applause from the stands. I was down for along time so they were probably worried about me thinking it was worse than it actually was.

“I have rested for two days and now need to do some tests with Tom on stuff like remembering things.

“I hope I am not out for long but we will have to go through what we have to go through and see.”

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On the campaign overall so far, Maris said: “It's been a weird season. We started well and won the first two and should have won the first three.

“It seems that goal in the last minute at Colchester hit us for six really. It's been bumpy since then, but we're the same group of players that won those first two and I think we can beat anyone in the league.

“But I do think we've been unlucky in some games. We have played better in some than in the first two that we won. We just need that win and hopefully we can kick on from there and really start our season.

“It's easy to say but some decisions have gone against us – and we have had a lot of injuries, particularly defenders.

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“I have never seen this many missing from a squad in my career and it's difficult to deal with. But it is a chance for someone else to stand up and a lot have taken that.

“These things can happen. We are all trying to stay together and win a game. We have had injuries but we still have good enough players to get results. We just need that one win to get us going again.”Maris has been pushed back into a new role at the base of a midfield diamond and said: “I am now the deepest midfielder in the team and I have not really done that throughout my career.

“But I am enjoying it as I get a lot more of the ball.

“I like to get on the ball and try to make things happen.”

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