Gillingham midfielder Jonny Williams praised the club’s medical department for treating an injury that his team-mates couldn’t bear to look at.
Williams was back in action for the Gills on Saturday two weeks after receiving a blow to the mouth which led to his front teeth going through his lip.
More: ‘The kind of game we didn’t want to play’
The former Welsh international was left eating and drinking through a straw after the clash against Charlton – but two weeks later his injury was hardly visible and Williams put that down to the work of the club’s medical team.
“It was a nasty one,” said the midfielder, who was able to play against Bradford on Saturday. “I have not really had any facial injuries, but the boys have done an amazing job and I am very grateful to them.
“I was panicking about my wedding next year and all the photos. It wasn’t good at all but it has healed really well.
“It was a nasty collision and I haven’t been on the end of one of those in a long time. I don’t deal very well with all the blood and things hanging out.
“The doctor and the physios did a fantastic job stitching it back together and it has healed really well. The Barrow game (being postponed last weekend) did give me the opportunity for that to heal as well.”
Having admitted he wasn’t great with blood, Williams’ team-mates weren’t so good with it either.
“They were saying how horrible it was when I was on the pitch and that didn’t help a lot!” he said.
“I was just looking up at the sky and not many people would look at me. I had to cover my mouth in the end. I didn’t want to look in the mirror afterwards.
“I don’t deal with it well but it wouldn’t stop bleeding. They couldn’t stitch it together in a short space of time and so I had to deal with it in the physio room.”
Describing the clash, he said: “I caught his forearm, or elbow, I am not sure, straight in my face and my two front teeth went straight through my lip and I could feel it flapping about.
“I wanted it dealt with and if there was a good thing we were 2-0 up against Charlton at the time in the FA Cup, that was the positive from the day.
“The doctor made it an okay experience and not a lot of people can notice it now – but two weeks ago not many people could look at me!”
