Paul Ifill Ruptured Achilles Tendon

[Sirius]

Described as possibly the best player to wear the Wellington Phoenix shirt, former Blade, Paul Ifill sustained a career threatening injury whilst playing for the Wellington side on Sunday.

Ifill went down without contact and it was confirmed that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon.
At 34 years of age it is unlikely that he will play again.

On his day, I thought he did well for the Blades. He signed for Wellington in 2009

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I liked him - his contribution to our promotion season in goals and assists gets often forgotten. At the Phoenix he made an instant impact in a more advanced role in what's admittedly a generally poorer-than-Championship league. Sad end to his time there if true.

 

[JohnDenver]

Big part of the promotion season - shouldn't be forgotten.

I don't remember Iffy Onuora playing again after that injury at a similar age. But Beckham managed it fairly recently. Perhaps the science has moved on?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Big part of the promotion season - shouldn't be forgotten.

I don't remember Iffy Onuora playing again after that injury at a similar age. But Beckham managed it fairly recently. Perhaps the science has moved on?

It probably has if you can afford the kind of doctors Beckham could.

 

[Bergen Blade]

It probably has if you can afford the kind of doctors Beckham could.

I ruptured mine a few years ago, and it's fine now. The other one has been bothering me for the past year though.

 

[broomhillblade]

Described as possibly the best player to wear the Wellington Phoenix shirt, former Blade, Paul Ifill sustained a career threatening injury whilst playing for the Wellington side on Sunday.

Ifill went down without contact and it was confirmed that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon.
At 34 years of age it is unlikely that he will play again.

On his day, I thought he did well for the Blades. He signed for Wellington in 2009

Was he wearing a Wellington boot?

 

[wardonia_blade]

My best memory of paul was at palace in promotion season. Winning one nil but under the cosh and cp equalised right on half time. Pi then stroked in an absolute beauty and going in two one down killed cp. three more points obtained.

Paul was probably not good enough for the prem and moved on to cp ironically. Wish him all the best

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Great to see that his ruptured Achilles didn’t cause him to retire in the end. Still going strong in the NZ leagues.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

GLTTL

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Paul “Awful” he was cruelly nicknamed. Yes he did a good job for us overall. Frequently made poor decisions but he was a talent on his day. Impressive for Palace before we bought him (was it Palace?) I think.

 

[Swannyblade]

Paul “Awful” he was cruelly nicknamed. Yes he did a good job for us overall. Frequently made poor decisions but he was a talent on his day. Impressive for Palace before we bought him (was it Palace?) I think.

Millwall wasn’t it?? Always played well against us as I remember

 

[Wooden Blade]

I ruptured mine a few years ago, and it's fine now. The other one has been bothering me for the past year though.

I ruptured mine when I was 64 but was back running within 6 months of my operation.

 

[bornablade]

Paul Ifill and Tim Cahill both played for Millwall. Both always impressed when we played them.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He was unplayable on his day, unfortunately his day was not on show often enough.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

He was unplayable on his day, unfortunately his day was not on show often enough.

A part from the 9 goals and 9 assists from right wing in his debut season you mean?

When was the last time we had a winger who got that return?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

A part from the 9 goals and 9 assists from right wing in his debut season you mean?

When was the last time we had a winger who got that return?

Freeman last season.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Freeman last season.

In League One.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

In League One.

So what. Question was "when was the last time" answer was last season with KF.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

So what. Question was "when was the last time" answer was last season with KF.

Except Freeman isn't a winger.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Except Freeman isn't a winger.

Wing back, clue is in the title.

 

[JohnStreet]

I remember once a streaker ran into the pitch. Paul got a right ifull

Da dum
Tshhh

 

[Rufus Smalls]

Described as possibly the best player to wear the Wellington Phoenix shirt, former Blade, Paul Ifill sustained a career threatening injury whilst playing for the Wellington side on Sunday.

Ifill went down without contact and it was confirmed that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon.
At 34 years of age it is unlikely that he will play again.

On his day, I thought he did well for the Blades. He signed for Wellington in 2009

I saw him play for the Phoenix against Perth Glory a few years back in Perth. Him and Chris Greenacre (who I always rated whilst at Mansfield) were probably the best 2 players on the pitch that night even though Phoenix lost.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

DA WOT?

 

[boo radley]

A part from the 9 goals and 9 assists from right wing in his debut season you mean?

When was the last time we had a winger who got that return?

Freeman last season.

And then there was Lee Williamson if you want to count him as a winger?

 

[Swannyblade]

Ifill suffered from that age old problem of actually trying to take his man on or trying something different to unlock a defence and it not always coming off. This does not always go down well with the Bramall Lane faithful...god forbid he should give the ball away now and again.
Underrated at the time - his contribution from the right wing was invaluable in the promotion season. Remember we had a central midfield pairing of jags and monty for most of that season so the creativity had to come from somewhere.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Ifill suffered from that age old problem of actually trying to take his man on or trying something different to unlock a defence and it not always coming off. This does not always go down well with the Bramall Lane faithful...god forbid he should give the ball away now and again.
Underrated at the time - his contribution from the right wing was invaluable in the promotion season.

Spot on. He seemed less damaged by the crowd reaction than, say, Cotterill did in that awful late-2008 spell. He’d not lack the confidence to keep trying and often things came off. Also very good with both feet. I was a bit surprised that he wasn’t given more of a chance once we were promoted, but NW clearly saw CKR and Gillespie restricting his chances.

 

[Pierre's PC]

Ifill suffered from that age old problem of actually trying to take his man on or trying something different to unlock a defence and it not always coming off. This does not always go down well with the Bramall Lane faithful...god forbid he should give the ball away now and again.
Underrated at the time - his contribution from the right wing was invaluable in the promotion season. Remember we had a central midfield pairing of jags and monty for most of that season so the creativity had to come from somewhere.

QFT

 

[PokerBlade]

He was one of those classic wingers where in the first fifteen minutes of the game you could tell if he had the beating of the full-back. And then you knew if it was going to be a bad afternoon for him or the defender.

I watched the full season review on youtube not too long back and was surprised at how good he looked. I always had mixed memories of him. Good enough to take us to the Prem and should be fondly remembered.

 

[Swannyblade]

Spot on. He seemed less damaged by the crowd reaction than, say, Cotterill did in that awful late-2008 spell. He’d not lack the confidence to keep trying and often things came off. Also very good with both feet. I was a bit surprised that he wasn’t given more of a chance once we were promoted, but NW clearly saw CKR and Gillespie restricting his chances.

I think Keef got the nod ahead of Ifill as that team severely lacked any sort of Premiership experience.
When he came into the side he was a steady hand on the tiller...he was one of the few players who looked comfortable playing at that level during the early stages of the Prem season and was a calming influence on the rest of the team

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I think Keef got the nod ahead of Ifill as that team severely lacked any sort of Premiership experience.
When he came into the side he was a steady hand on the tiller...he was one of the few players who looked comfortable playing at that level during the early stages of the Prem season and was a calming influence on the rest of the team

Agreed – he was actually better in the Prem than he was in the Championship tbh.