Wisbech Town’s Stacy Cartwright backs his team-mates to succeed in FA Vase
Battered and bruised Stacy Cartwright has vowed to cheer his team-mates to Wembley – days after his season was ended by horrific facial injuries.
Cartwright, pictured, broke his nose in four places and fractured his eye socket during Wisbech Town's FA Vase Fourth Round 2-2 draw with Dunston UTS on Saturday. However, the brave centre-back ignored the pain to support his side throughout the game and extra time before going to hospital.
Cartwright said: 'I wanted to cheer the boys on. I didn't want to miss anything, and the pain wasn't too bad.
'It's only when I got to the hospital that the adrenaline wore off and I felt like somebody was stabbing my eye socket with a knife.
'I'm gutted I won't be playing but I'm not bitter. We're good enough to beat Dunston in the replay and get to Wembley. I'll be there cheering the boys on the whole way because we're a close-knit bunch. I'm settled at Wisbech – I couldn't ask to be part of a better dressing room.'
The 23-year-old was playing his first game since undergoing surgery on a broken nasal septum last December. He has had to breathe through his mouth while playing since suffering the internal nose injury against Cogenhoe in November 2010.
The defender said: 'I'd been itching to play and I knew I was going to get a crack on the nose at some point but I wasn't too bothered.
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'As a centre-back you've got to be prepared to take a big elbow off a centre forward. I'd play on Saturday if I could – I'll never stop sticking my head in where it hurts.'
Cartwright will have surgery next week.
n Wisbech have completed the signing of Paul Cousins from Wroxham.
The defender has rejoined the Fenmen after leaving them to join King's Lynn in the summer.
Cousins is cup-tied for this afternoon's game but is due to play for the reserves at Sawston United.
