Walking at Wembley
By Roger O'Brien
February 25 2010
Two years ago Manchester United season ticket holder Private Dave Tatlock was told he would never walk again, but on Sunday the 20-year-old will march out onto the Wembley turf in front of 90,000 fans to place the Carling Cup on its plinth in the lead up to kick-off.
Victim of a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan in July 2008, doctors broke the news to Private Tatlock that the shrapnel in his spine - embedded as a result of the 30mm high explosive rounds from an Apache Helicopter that missed the intended target - had left him paralysed.
But four weeks into the recovery, feeling slowly spread back into his legs and after 12 weeks confined to a bed to soak away the swelling, Tatlock progressed on to Headley Court, the defence centre for military rehabilitation in Surrey. He now walks with just a stick and hopes an impending operation will leave him wholly independent.
On Sunday, in continuation of the partnership between Help for Heroes and The Football League, the Manchester United season-ticket holder will mark the next step of his remarkable recovery in front of a full-house at the home of football by placing the Carling Cup in its ceremonial pre-match position as the side he supports square up to Aston Villa ahead of the Carling Cup Final.
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