Back in November Worsbrough’s Matt Pinder did not know if he would walk again. On Saturday he made his return to a football field after five months of intensive rehabilitation. Non League Yorkshire’s James Grayson spoke to Matt and his father Ray about the past six months.
Matty Pinder (right) with his dad Ray
“Those ten minutes were the best ten minutes of my life,” says 17-year-old Worsbrough Bridge defender Matt Pinder of his late substitute appearance in the final day clash with Pontefract Collieries.
To many it may seem insignificant, but scratch the surface and you find an inspiring story which is a remarkable, but moving tale of triumph over adversity.
Six months ago, his brave parents Ray and Michelle were warned that their son may not walk again as he laid in a hospital bed in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. He was there for 29 days.
Ardsley-based Matt had contracted the rare Guillain Barre Syndrome – a treatable condition, but one that occasionally becomes life-threatening or leaves people with long-term problems. Ex-Liverpool defender Markus Babbel is a former sufferer.
Matt refused to let the condition affect his future so his ten minute cameo in the Toolstation NCEL Division One game shuts the door firmly on a “traumatic” past six months and opens a new one on a bright future.
“(Worsbrough Bridge manager) Josh (Wright) asked me two weeks ago whether I wanted to play in the last game of the season and I just said ‘yeah, maybe one or two minutes’,” Matt adds.
“But I managed to get ten minutes. I was very emotional when waiting to come on because I could see my dad and I know it has been hard for him. Him and the rest of my family have been there for me every single day.”
This is where his 48-year-old dad Ray takes over the narrative to the story. Ray runs Barnsley Towbar Centre with his wife. He also sponsors Worsbrough, a club which he has developed a deep affection for because of the way they have looked after his son.
He has seen every minute of Matt’s journey and witnessed his sheer determination to get back to fitness.
Matty in action for Worsbrough during a pre-season friendly with Stocksbridge last July
Matty in action for Worsbrough during a pre-season friendly with Stocksbridge last July
Matt Pinder, pictured tackling Seb Carole during the 2-2 draw with Knaresborough in August. Matt went onto score the dramatic last minute equaliser. Picture: Craig Dinsdale
Worsbrough Bridge manager Josh Wright (left) was determined to give Matt Pinder a small cameo in the final game of the season
Rewind back to the summer and Matt was enjoying a fantastic start to life in the NCEL with Worsbrough after signing for them in the summer – notably grabbing the headlines in a 2-2 draw at Knaresborough Town.
“He slotted straight in and he played at Knaresborough which was a very challenging experience against (former Premier League winger) Seb Carole,” Ray says.
“He kept him in his pocket for most of the game and then scored the equaliser in the last minute. I was chuffed to bits.”
He continued to feature for Worsbrough until he suffered a back injury in October, the catalyst for the harrowing period.
“He hurt his back in October, I can’t remember which game it was,” says Ray.
“He landed funny and jarred his back. He was a little put out for a couple of weeks, he couldn’t play. He had an England schoolboys trial and he had to miss it, along with a Worsbrough game.
“Basically he got a virus while he was injured and the virus incubated itself within the injury. It later transpired he had a quite a severe injury.
“I think it was the 3rd November. He went on a driving lesson and when he came back he collapsed in the living room saying he was in agony. He couldn’t get up.
“I thought ‘wow’ what do I do? So we went to A&E and they actually discharged him later that day and told him to come back on Monday to see a specialist, this was on Sunday morning.
“That night he collapsed in a heap at the top of the stairs and we ended up having to get an ambulance.
“He said to me that his legs had stopped working. It didn’t make sense. He was in severe distress, but I remained calm and my wife phoned the ambulance.
“Within three days he was in Royal Hallamshire, literally paralysed from the waist down. He was on an incubator for 24 hours because his lungs started to shut down.
“We thought at the time that it could be fatal, but transpires that he has had a mild case of the virus, fortunately. The virus can mutate into situations where people can have problems for years. Catching it early was massive.
“The last few months has been traumatic to say the least, I’ve never seen anything as traumatic, ever. I can’t thank the staff at the hospital enough, they were fantastic with Matt.”
Even in hospital, Matt was thinking about his future. As someone who is aiming to study Sport and Exercise Sciences at university in Liverpool, he was determined not to let the Guillain Barre Syndrome de-rail or delay his ambitions.
“Barnsley College were fantastic,” says Ray. “Dave Penney and his tutor kept in touch with me on a weekly basis.
“As soon as Matt felt in the right frame of mind, they came to the hospital with some work and Matty got on with it.
“He’s focused and dedicated. The virus was not going to beat him. He has a lot of ambition. He took a course of rehab which meant he was doing more than the hospital said he should, to the point where we had to stop him because he was hurting himself.”
Ray and Matt Pinder with Worsbrough Bridge manager Josh Wright
Matty Pinder came on for the last ten minutes for Worsbrough in the final day clash with Pontefract. Ray had a “tear” in his eye
Matt’s first task was to deal with Pontefract’s star man Mikey Dunn
And he soon got to grips with him
Matt Pinder’s story is a tale of triumph over adversity
His determination in rehabilitation has led to him finding a new passion too. In nine weeks’ time he’s taking part in a UK wide CrossFit competition.
“He’s now at a CrossFit gym in Rotherham and they want him to compete at cross fit, but he’s really passionate about it,” says Ray.
“He’s got so much on his plate. He’s trying to get fit to play football again. He’s going to University in September, but I’m pleased for him after what he has been through.”
Ray and his wife have been through a lot themselves. Ray admits he had a “tear” in his eye when Matt crossed the white line to take his right-back berth again in his return match.
“In November I didn’t know if he would walk again, never mind playing for football,” he says.
“We didn’t know if he was going to be wheelchair bound or not. When you get occupational health asking about access around your house, it really hits home.
“So to be here on the final game and seeing him come on, it is fantastic. It is hard to put into words.”
Ray also reserved praise for Worsbrough for all their support. Ray and Matt have become the club’s biggest supporters since the turn of the year, cheering Josh Wright’s men to safety from the terraces.
They have attended nearly all the home matches and Ray says: “The club have been amazing.
“Josh (Wright), Pete (Schofield), Mark (Booth) and Derren (Trevy) have contacted myself on a weekly basis asking for an update.
“They messaged him while he was in hospital and it was massive because it showed that he had people around who cared about him.”
It has been a remarkable journey for the Pinder family, but one that will surely have a happy ending when Matt moves to university later this year.