John McGinn to miss St Mirren games after training ground prank

St Mirren midfielder John McGinn will miss his side’s next few matches after a training ground prank went wrong and ended with a bleeding gash on his leg.

The Saints’ captain Steven Thompson threw a spiked pole at McGinn after he robbed him of the ball in a practice match and it struck him on the thigh, causing severe bleeding.

McGinn subsequently underwent MRI scans to find the extent of the damage and the club confirmed on Wednesday the 20-year-old is set for a spell on the sidelines.

Manager Gary Teale said: “It is obviously a blow to lose John for the next few weeks but we don’t want to rush him back.

“We need to make sure that his rehabilitation is conducted in the correct manner to ensure he makes a full recovery as soon as possible and can enjoy a few weeks off prior to pre-season training.”

Thompson, no stranger to bizarre injuries himself, said he was “mortified” by the outcome of his actions.

Nine years ago, whilst playing for Cardiff, the Scot detached a nerve in his finger while slicing an apple and then fell off a banana boat on holiday a year later, forcing him to undergo major groin surgery and miss out on a transfer to another club.

He told the Scottish Sun: “It was a daft prank. It wasn’t like I threw the pole out of anger or anything like that. That’s not what happened.”