An Arbroath gran is facing months of recovery after breaking her hip during a rammy after a game.
Mary Getty has recalled the “awful” moment she fell and broke her femur – classed by doctors as a broken hip – after the League One match at Stenhousemuir on Saturday.
The 75-year-old was with her grandson Allan when about 50 youths “targeted” Red Lichties supporters as they returned to their bus after the game.
Mary fell as the group “surged” towards the bus and was left lying in mud on the road before being taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert.
The Arbroath FC fan underwent surgery on Sunday and has been told it may take up to six months to fully recover.
Arbroath gran put off away games after ‘terrible’ experience at Stenhousemuir
Speaking from hospital, Mary told The Courier: “It was awful, just awful.
“We have been to lots of football matches and kids will be shouting at each other but this was awful.
“We left early to get to the bus as I can’t walk very fast and next thing I knew they were next to us – about 50 of them.
“One of the lassies spotted the bus and they all surged towards it and I fell and broke the biggest bone in my body.
“It was my femur but they class that as a broken hip.
“I fell into the mud and was lying in muck and waited a while for the ambulance to come.
“It was terrible. I will go back to my normal matches when I can as I love going to the football but I don’t think I will be back at away matches.
“Maybe if it is not a long journey I will.
“The doctors say it could take four to six months to heal but I will get back to it as I love the club.”
Gang of youths ‘targeted’ Arbroath supporters bus
Allan, who has been going to games with his gran for about 18 years, told The Courier: “She had the operation yesterday and is now starting to recover.
“They have said she will be there for a week until she is up and walking and they would prefer to keep her there rather than moving her to Ninewells.”
Recalling the moment Mary fell, he said: “I was standing beside her when it happened.
“We came out of the game and where our bus was parked we had to walk down a darker bit of road.
“When we turned onto the main road there were loads of kids shouting and screaming.
“We went to go down to the bus and heard them shout, ‘Let’s get the bus’.
“It was clear their intention was to cause bother to the Arbroath supporters on the bus.
“They then started running towards the bus and the momentum of it all made my gran fall.
“There was lots of bother at the bus too but we didn’t make it that far.
‘There were kids who were scared’
“I was just shocked, you don’t expect to go to a football match and for that to happen.
“We have been to countless games across Scotland and we are regulars on the bus and have never experienced something like that.
“She was scared, there were kids who were scared.
“It is something you don’t expect to see at that sort of game and in that sort of league.”
Allan says the support from bystanders was “brilliant” after his gran fell.
The 29-year-old added: “The neighbours brought out blankets for her and the people in the supporters’ club were out helping.
“Someone from the supporters’ club is actually going to visit her in the hospital.
“The man who organises the bus is a nurse and he stayed with us in the hospital, we were there until 5.30am the next day.
“She is always usually out and about and she’s never had any bother with her walking so we are hoping she recovers well.
“Going to games with my gran is always the highlight of my week.”
Police have branded the incident at Stenhousemuir “particularly disappointing” and are working to “identify offenders”.
The Courier has contacted both clubs for comment.
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