Footballer hit by car on M27 hard shoulder says career over but is 'lucky to be alive'
A non-league footballer who was hit by a car when changing a tyre on the hard shoulder of the M27 has revealed he is “lucky to be alive” - but said his football career is over.
Bashley FC player Jordan Chiedozie, son of former Tottenham Hotspur player John, was left with "life-changing, and potentially life-threatening" injuries after the horror crash on Saturday February 1 around 10.30pm between junction 2 and 3 eastbound.
Jordan was put in a coma following the incident and remains in hospital but is on the road to recovery. In an announcement, he said his football career was over and his life “changed forever”.
A 44-year-old woman from Wraysbury, in the borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The incident happened when Jordan, a former Bournemouth youth player, was travelling back from Saturday’s Southern League match at Tavistock with club physio Reighan Taylor, when they pulled over onto the hard-shoulder of the eastbound M27 between junctions 2 and 3 to investigate a flat tyre.
New Forest-based Bashley FC said they were both outside the VW Golf they were travelling in when it was hit from behind by a Mercedes SLK at around 10.30pm. Jordan was taken to Southampton General Hospital suffering multiple broken bones and other physical injuries.
Jordan said on Bashley FC’s website: “I will never be able to thank everyone personally, but I am truly grateful to everyone who has helped me. I’m overwhelmed by all of it to be honest and can’t believe the amount of kindness and support I’ve had.
“Firstly I just want to say thank you to everyone who has written messages of support and donated to the fund my brilliant team-mates set up.
“Secondly, I want to thank everyone at Bashley Football Club for everything they have done for me and my family since all this happened. It’s been amazing, and shows what a great club it is.
“I’m still in hospital at the moment awaiting one of the last procedures, hopefully next week, before I can then go home and start to heal.
“Unfortunately my football career is over and my life has changed forever but I’m lucky to be alive thanks to all the surgeons, nurses and emergency teams whose work has been so brilliant since the accident happened.
“Thankyou again for all the messages of support and donations - Jordan and family.”