Millwall's Hutchinson eyes FA Cup joy after freak injury from plate ruined Xmas
Geordie defender Hutch skippers Millwall in today’s fifth-round South London showdown at Wimbledon.
And, whatever the outcome, he knows the Wombles are better at picking up rubbish than he is.
The centre-back still has a massive scar on his left shin from a freak injury he got over Christmas . . . taking out the BINS.
Hutchinson, 28, said: “I was just putting out the rubbish when a part of a smashed plate ripped through a bag and it sliced my leg open.
“The cut was pretty deep and it needed FIFTEEN STITCHES. I was gutted — when you are a footballer you expect to pick up injuries but not like that.
"As you can imagine, the lads gave me some stick — although most of them stopped laughing when they saw the cut. It was pretty nasty.
“But it was a real eye-opener for me as it made me realise how easy things can happen and how much care you need to take doing even the most mundane of things.”
There is one positive, though. He added: “The accident has left a nice scar and I’m looking forward to telling my future grandchildren how I got it wrestling a shark!”
Hutchinson hopes it will be less painful ensuring Millwall’s ball is in the bag for Monday’s sixth-round draw for the second time in three seasons.
Opponents Wimbledon may be six points adrift at the bottom of League One but Hutchinson knows it will not be easy for Neil Harris’ Championship strugglers.
The Lions fourth-round win over Everton was their fifth successive Premier League scalp at the Den in the FA Cup.
Yet he said: “We were the underdogs in all those ties — but we go to Wimbledon as favourites.
“And we were knocked out of the Cup last year by Rochdale, who are in a similar position to what Wimbledon are now.
“So we have to make sure we have learned from that experience last season.
“Wimbledon have already beaten West Ham and both of us will see this as a massive opportunity to get into the quarter-finals.
“And despite what many Premier League players say, the big Cup games are what most players at our level will look back on when they hang up their boots.
“We will not remember the 1-0 wins or goalless draws in league games, but we never forget the big Cup occasions.”
Hutchinson, a product of Tyneside’s famous Wallsend Boys Club, played for Motherwell in the 2011 Scottish Cup final — which they lost 3-0 to Celtic.
After an injury-ravaged spell with Fulham, he has become a fans’ favourite at the Den since joining in 2016.
He said: “My family are Newcastle fans but obviously support me.
“I remember after I played for Fulham in a game against Millwall me telling them I could never play for that lot because their fans are a bit feisty.
“But I ended up signing for them a year later and I couldn’t love it more. It just shows you never know.
“It’s not an easy place to play because the fans let you know what they think.
“But I would rather that passion than playing in front of people who didn’t care.
“My family love the club and I can see myself staying a long time.”
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