Former Premier League striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is suing surgeon Professor James Calder for more than £7 million, alleging that an 'unnecessary' and 'destructive' operation ended his top-flight career prematurely. The 39-year-old, who started his career at Manchester United's academy, broke his leg while playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship in 2013.
Ebanks-Blake claims that the ankle operation performed by Professor Calder was not required and that he did not give proper consent. His barrister, Simeon Maskrey KC, told Mrs Justice Lambert at London's High Court: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' The player argues that the surgery caused stiffness and reduced movement in his left ankle, leading to a decline in his performance and eventual retirement in 2019.
However, Professor Calder's legal team contends that the surgery was necessary and that the surgeon's skills actually prolonged the footballer's career. Martin Forde KC, representing Calder, stated: 'Far from curtailing the claimant's career, the defendant will argue that his clinical skills prolonged the career of a professional footballer, who had suffered a very serious injury.'
Ebanks-Blake helped Wolves win the Championship in 2009 and scored 25 league goals that season, making him the division's top scorer. He played three seasons in the Premier League before being released in 2014. After a brief spell with Ipswich Town in the Championship, he spent four years in League One and later dropped to the National League, retiring after playing for non-league side Walsall Wood.
The player's lawyers argue that the operation curtailed his career prematurely, while the defence maintains that the procedure was necessary to address loose fragments and unstable cartilage. The case continues.
