Former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has won a significant High Court battle against a leading surgeon, whom he claimed performed an unnecessary operation that ultimately destroyed his Premier League career.
The Career-Defining Injury and Disputed Surgery
The 39-year-old forward, who helped fire Wolves to the Premier League in 2009, suffered a lower leg fracture in 2013. Following this injury, top surgeon Professor James Calder performed an arthroscopy on Ebanks-Blake's ankle. The procedure involved removing cartilage and a 'microfracture' technique on the bone.
Ebanks-Blake, however, never fully recovered. He argued in court that the surgery was performed when he was pain-free and led directly to a drastic decline in his physical condition. He was forced to drift down the football pyramid, playing for eight clubs in six years amid persistent pain, before retiring in 2019.
High Court Rules in Favour of Former Footballer
After a trial in London earlier this year, Mrs Justice Lambert ruled on Thursday that the arthroscopy did contribute to the downfall of his health and career. The judge stated she was satisfied that, had the surgery not taken place, the claimant would have returned to his pre-accident, pain-free state.
She ruled it was 'neither reasonable or logical' to operate on a patient who was not in pain. The court heard that after the operation, Ebanks-Blake suffered from stiffness and reduced movement in his left ankle, requiring regular steroid injections to manage the discomfort.
Contested Claims and Future Compensation
Professor Calder had denied the claims, arguing that his treatment, if anything, prolonged the footballer's playing days. The striker's legal team, led by barrister Simeon Maskrey KC, countered that his retirement was a direct result of the ongoing pain from the surgery, not the original fracture.
Ebanks-Blake had sued for more than £7 million in damages. While the High Court has found in his favour on the issue of liability, the exact level of compensation will be decided at a separate trial at a later date.
The former England U21 international began his career at Manchester United's academy before making his name at Plymouth Argyle and then Wolves, where he became a Championship winner and a fans' favourite at Molineux.
