' Blackstocks taking us to court '

Championship striker Dexter Blackstock is seeking massive High Court damages from Cardiff City and former player Seyi Olofinjana over a career-threatening injury he says was the result of a negligent tackle.

Nottingham Forest striker and former England youth international Blackstock, 27, is seeking compensation from Olofinjana and his former club, the Bluebirds, over the tackle in November 2010, which put him out of the game for 15 months with a "horrific" knee injury.

Blackstock claims that the 6'4" midfielder, who now plays for Sheffield Wednesday, was "negligent" in "failing to play the ball" and "challenging (him) in a way that caused a reasonably foreseeable risk of injury" in the 88th minute of the game.

Blackstock had scored in the League match between Nottingham Forest and Cardiff on November 2010 before being stretchered off following the tackle, which prompted his then manager, Billy Davies, to call for an official complaint. Forest won the game 2-0.

Davies called the injury Blackstock suffered "horrific", whilst Cardiff's then manager, Dave Jones, insisted that there had been "no intent" in the challenge despite its devastating results.

Now Blackstock, of Popplewick, Nottingham, has lodged a writ at London's High Court, seeking damages for being deprived of the chance of earning bonuses for 15 months, as well as the right to further compensation should the injury end his career early.

In the writ, Blackstock's barrister, Jonathan Crystal, claims that Olofinjana "played Mr Blackstock rather than the ball" and "raised his foot" in the challenge, "forcefully striking" his opponent's shin and calf and "failing to control his momentum".

Blackstock suffered "pain, suffering and loss of amenity" and Mr Crystal alleges that the manner of the tackle carried with it "a reasonably foreseeable risk of substantial injury to him."

The barrister adds: "The medical reports detail a significant chance that at some point in the future Mr Blackstock's knee will deteriorate further or he will suffer further injury as a result of the existing condition of his knee which will impact upon his ability to play professional football.

"In the event that this occurs, Mr Blackstock will be entitled to apply for further damages."

The amount that Blackstock is claiming has not been specified in the writ, other than that it exceeds £50,000.

The defences to the action of Olofinjana and Cardiff City FC were not available from the court, and the contents of the writ have yet to be tested in evidence before a judge.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... ck-6748282

A dangerous precedent...

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nottingham-forest-striker-dexter-blackstock-6748282

A lot of injuries are caused by terrible fouls, not tackles. I remember this incident, but was some distance away. If he gets damages, this could really open the floodgates.

Surely these damages won't be awarded?

Can't see how Cardiff city can be made to pay maybethe player if thus was award imagine all the writs being issued daily ?,

Didn't someone sue a few years back for a dangerous tackle.

Didn't someone sue a few years back for a dangerous tackle.

Yes, Reading's Chris Casper sued our centre midfielder Richard Carpenter. It was a horror tackle to be fair and it ended Casper's career early. I liked Carpenter as a player, but Casper was well within his rights to sue Carpenter.

To be honest, I don't know if I looked away at the wrong time and missed it, but all I remember seeing was Blackstock on the floor in agony. I didn't even realise Oli had gone through him and although it was unfortunate what happened, that's football. I think Chris Casper's case was a one off incident. I don't think Oli's challenge on Blackstock was anywhere near as bad as Carpenter's and I'm not sure there was any malice intended from Oli whatsoever. Oli doesn't strike me as that type of guy.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but was Oli's tackle really a horror challenge? Or was it one of those freak accidents that was just one of those things?

Re: Blackstocks taking us to court
by JAWS » Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:31 pm

Didn't someone sue a few years back for a dangerous tackle.

I'm sure there was a young either Middlesbrough or Man U player, something like 16 who was injured through a reckless tackle, I recall the person who had done it didn't seem the least bit sorry, he won, can't remember how much....

I wouldn't be surprised a national team being prosecuted by a club if a career threatening injury happens, can you imagine if Bale got badly injured for Wales? I don't think we will see much of him in any friendlies...

What about when Roger Johnson was deliberately elbowed in the throat by Claude Davies away to palace? Could Have done worse than end his career. Think Blackstock needs to man up and get on with it.

Doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Think alf inge haaland tried something similer with man united over the roy keane tackle? didnt get anywhere if i remember right, and keane admitted he wanted to injure him over a previous incident

Smells like no win no fee.

you know the risks when you step on the field.....f**k him....sorry but this is crazy..

You play. The game you know the dangers , you get paid well for it
don't moan when injuries occur !

I think you can only claim from the official players insurance fund which they all pay into incase of career threatening injuries .
I believe Scott young and mark Delaney did exactly this when they retired early , but if you tKe it you can never play professional football again . Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that is the case .

Think alf inge haaland tried something similer with man united over the roy keane tackle? didnt get anywhere if i remember right, and keane admitted he wanted to injure him over a previous incident

That was the most deliberate and hostile tackle I have ever seen.

How the hell Keane was not banned for life is beyond me.

Why take this long to take us then?

Its not right if you ask me, i can understand certain situations as mentioned above and i agree they get paid exceptionally well in case such instances occurs. Bloody hell, us lot take the same gamble every week in parks football and it is no different except most of us lot pay subs to play and may lose our jobs because of it. These players will have insurance policies and contracts in place and should not be able to claim in such scenarios. I do sympathise with them as no one wants to see someone get a terrible injury but worst comes to worst it ends his footy career, gets a ins/contract payout and ends up having to work in an office like the rest of us!

Surely players are insured? As chuckles said its a dangerous precedent.

Smells like no win no fee.

?

Surely players are insured? As chuckles said its a dangerous precedent.

its very anti football by the player.....and yes players are insured..this player has signed a 4 year contract with forest since his return from injury,so dont fully understand.

but one day, a player will win one of these and itll be the end of football..

What was the result when Mabbett tried to sue Fashanu that time..?

Thats football he knew the risks. He should stop being a pussy. Anyway how is it our clubs fault unless orders was sent out for Blackstock to be done ? Man up the tw*t.

A dangerous precedent...

The precedent has already been set.

We were successfully sued back in 1996(ish) and I understand the same lawyer who won the case then is representing Blackstock.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4 ... 53,1869408

A dangerous precedent...

The precedent has already been set.

We were successfully sued back in 1996(ish) and I understand the same lawyer who won the case then is representing Blackstock.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4 ... 53,1869408

Never knew that. Interesting read, cheers.

A dangerous precedent...

The precedent has already been set.

We were successfully sued back in 1996(ish) and I understand the same lawyer who won the case then is representing Blackstock.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4 ... 53,1869408

Never knew that. Interesting read, cheers.

i assumed that players had insurance to cover serious injury that would ill effect their careers, in Blackstocks case though,although he was out injured for ages he did come back and earned a new 4 year deal........

f*cking hell this compensation culture we have today is pathetic

Football is a contact sport - you accept that risk when you play

They will never let this go through though - sets such a big precedent and would affect the way football is played massively

Think alf inge haaland tried something similer with man united over the roy keane tackle? didnt get anywhere if i remember right, and keane admitted he wanted to injure him over a previous incident

That was the most deliberate and hostile tackle I have ever seen.

How the hell Keane was not banned for life is beyond me.

overeaction of the day award goes to....

If the footage is there for everyone to see then surely nothing can be done, there is no contact.

This is the video of the tackle hardly anything in it just unlucky

Skip to 1 minute on video

http://youtu.be/qI0amoCYkTA

If the footage is there for everyone to see then surely nothing can be done, there is no contact.

there is definately contact just very unlucky he stood on his foot