|The inside story|
|Around the Academy:
When a player comes to the club we would ask him to bring his medical notes from his previous club.
These may include details of scans and x-rays they have had in the past and anything else of note.
We would ask the player about family history of things like diabetes or heart problems.
If we think it is necessary we would send them for an ECG which checks for any heart problems.
The club doctor is the person who would carry out the medical, I would simply just be there to observe and be on hand if he needs assistance.
He would check all the major joints, the hips, knees, ankles etc as well as the player's sight.
Sight is tested to see if the player is colour blind - nobody has ever said for definite if it is to make sure they know what colour of shirt to pass to or not.
He would check all the major ligaments in the knees and ankles for any signs of wear and tear, particularly in older players and for any early signs of Arthritis.
Any problems with the back are checked for too.
Depending on the age of the player and their history - for example if it is an older player - we might decide to scan and x-ray them ourselves.
If the club pays a lot of money for a player or they come in on big wages then they could be put through a work-out on the training ground.
Any player who signs for a fee is put through a medical but not all players who come in on free transfers or Bosman deals do.