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September 28, 2003

A Rattlesnake put some bite into the footballer

By Arlene Kelly

EVERY MANAGER in the SPL has their injury worries, but for most it’s pulled hamstrings, groin strains and maybe a broken leg. But for ex-pat Billy Smith who runs Partick Thistle Las Vegas, things aren’t as simple. Being a gaffer in Nevada has its own unique challenges and he’s recently been hit by one injury that’s yet to become commonplace back in Maryhill. Billy found himself without one of his star players, Frankie Lowey. Frankie (28), originally from Florida, has already had a taste of top-flight football Scotland-style. He came to Glasgow in the early ‘90s to try his luck as a professional, playing for Celtic between the ages of 16 and 19. Unfortunately a knee injury prematurely ended his career and he returned to the US. A couple of years ago, Frankie Contacted Billy about the possibility of getting back into the game and playing in the Las Vegas Premier Soccer League. Talented Frankie was immediately signed up to play central midfield. But recently he was at home when he realized he’d forgotten something from his pick-up truck. As he trudged down his dark driveway, he felt something under his foot. The something moved… Aargh! An agonising pain shot through his lower leg. He looked down and to his horror saw what looked like a highly poisonous Western Diamond Backed Rattlesnake slithering away into the night. Despite his injury Frankie, a trained medical technician, knew he’d have to catch the serpent. If he didn’t get to the hospital with the offending reptile, they wouldn’t be able to match the snake to an antidote and he could be dead within hours. With his leg already puffing up from the venom, Frankie staggered after his attacker. He stumbled this way and that, and just as it looked like the snake would get away he leapt on it and clamped his fist around its neck. It was a risky move, but he needed that snake. He dashed back to the truck with the writhing snake, crammed it into a box and sped off to hospital. Luckily he was given the antidote and has now made a full recovery. He insists he’ll be back on the pitch soon. But after all the drama, Frankie wants to make sure that as a Thistle player that’s the only kind of jags he’ll have anything to do with again.

Deer me
KEN SMITH and DAVID BELCHER	September 18 2003
Contact: Tel: 0141 302 7055/6 Fax: 0141 302 7272 Email  Unstung heroes UNLIKE the Glasgow club that inspired it, Partick Thistle Las Vegas FC has been consistently successful throughout its lifetime, with the amateurs winning every competition in the gambling capital last season. Founded by expat Scot Billy Smith, the club has its own website which follows modern American soccer tradition in listing players' injuries. One injury has yet to become commonplace back home in Maryhill, however. As yet, no player at Firhill has even been bitten by a western diamond-backed rattlesnake while boarding his pick-up truck.

This web page was created by Phil Holliday
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1971 League Cup Winners