A 75-year-old woman broke her hip after being attacked by football hooligans following an Arbroath vs. Stenhousemuir match.
Mary Getty, aged 75, went to a game with her grandson Allan. They watched Arbroath play Stenhousemuir, a League One match on Saturday. After the game, trouble started when hooligans targeted their group as they walked to their bus.
Mrs. Getty fell during the chaos and was left in the mud with a broken femur. Doctors, calling it a broken hip, took her to a hospital, estimating recovery to take six months.
Speaking from the hospital, Mary described the event as awful. She explained that usually, young fans just shout at each other, but this was much worse. They left early for the bus because she cannot walk fast, she explained. Then, around fifty hooligans appeared.
A woman saw the bus, and everyone rushed toward it quickly. Mary fell and broke her femur, which she identified as the biggest bone in the body. She waited in the mud for help, and the ambulance arrived later on.
The event was terrible, she mentioned, yet she plans to return to games because she loves watching football. While away games worry her now, she thinks maybe short trips will be okay because she loves the club, so she will return.
Allan, age 29, has attended games with her for 18 years. He noted that locals were brilliant after her injury, bringing blankets for warmth.
The bus organizer, also a nurse, stayed at the hospital with them until 5:30 AM. They hope for a full recovery, seeing as she is usually active and walks often, and because games are the highlight of his week.
Inspector Neil Wotherspoon commented on the incident, calling it particularly disappointing. He stated that disorder is unusual at these games, and that officers are working with both clubs to identify the offenders.