Ex-England star's hilarious Stoke City gag after being run over by pitch roller

Former Newcastle United winger Andros Townsend had a remarkable escape from potentially serious harm following an extraordinary incident involving a piece of pitch equipment.

The ex-England international, who currently plies his trade in Thailand, was struck by a pitch roller during the warm-up ahead of PT Prachuap's 3-0 triumph over Pattani FC.

Video footage has subsequently emerged on social media capturing the Prachuap squad going through their pre-match routine before their Thai League One encounter. The roller, being operated by a driver, can be seen travelling across the turf before colliding with Townsend as he attempted an aerial backheel.

Team-mates instantly rushed to his assistance, with some visibly turning away in shock, while the 35 year old found himself trapped underneath the machinery.

Astonishingly, the former Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town wide man avoided serious harm and entered the action as a substitute during stoppage time with the outcome already beyond doubt, reports Chronicle Live.

"Just another day in Thai Football (he was fine!).

"Turns out Stoke away wasn't so bad after all… swipe to see why".

Townsend is expected to receive numerous requests for comment about the seemingly innocuous yet alarming incident in the coming days and weeks.

The episode occurred during his current spell in the Far East, having left Turkish outfit Antalyaspor for Kanchanaburi Power in the Thai Second Division in 2025. The former Spurs academy graduate was making just his third outing for Prachuap following his summer arrival.

He had been listed amongst the substitutes having featured from the start in the opening fixtures against Rayong and Sukhothai, with his team rising to second spot on the back of their emphatic victory.

The 13-time England international caused quite a stir when his switch to Thailand was announced, but speaking to talkSPORT in 2025, he explained the reasoning behind the move.

"Towards the back end of last season, I was playing in Turkey, and I hadn't been paid a few months' salary.

"The club said to me 'you can take your salary - but you're never going to play for the club again' so I took the salary.

"I hadn't played since March, got a bit frustrated, so in the summer I said to Marlon [my agent] I don't care where I go, just take me somewhere nice, interesting and tropical.

"He came back with one or two options in Europe but for some reason my gut was just really interested about the option in Thailand."

Townsend turned out 13 times for Newcastle in 2016 following his transfer from Tottenham, but despite finding the net four times, he was powerless to prevent the club's relegation from the Premier League.

He departed that summer, believing a spell in the Championship would damage his England prospects, and subsequently joined Crystal Palace.