Gary Lewin named West Ham head of medical services
Lewin (right) worked with England for 12 years
Written by Simon Austin — June 5, 2017
GARY LEWIN, one of football’s best-known physios, has joined West Ham as their new head of medical services.
The 53-year-old replaces Stijn Vandenbroucke, who has left to “take up a new challenge”, according to the Hammers. Lewin had been working with Arsenal Ladies on a short-term basis while Mary Shiels was on maternity leave.
He was made redundant as England's head physio last summer following 12 years with the national side. Lewin was Arsenal’s head physio from 1986 to 2008, before taking up a full-time role with England.
He first joined England in 1996 under Glenn Hoddle, before the job was made full time 12 years' later. His two high-profile jobs, plus a couple of high-profile incidents, have made Lewin a familiar face for football fans.
He was credited with saving John Terry’s life in 2007, when Chelsea's captain swallowed his tongue during the League Cup final and began to turn blue. And during England’s 2014 World Cup opener against Italy, Lewin fractured his ankle while celebrating Daniel Sturridge’s goal and had to be carried off on a stretcher.
Lewin, who spent time on West Ham's books as a goalkeeper when he was at school, said: “I am really looking forward to it. I have met Slaven [Bilic] a few times down the years, most memorably when I was sat on the bench when his Croatia team beat England at Wembley in 2007 to stop us qualifying for Euro 2008!
“Despite that, I am looking forward greatly to working with Slaven and also with Julian Dicks and Chris Woods, who I know from my time in football, his other backroom staff and all the players.”
The Hammers are eager to improve on the high number of injuries they suffered last season. They were second bottom of the Premier League - above only Sunderland - in terms of both days lost to injury and the number of significant injuries.
Vandenbroucke had served as the club’s head of medical and sports science since February 2014 following spells in Russia with Dynamo Moscow and Anji Makhachkala.
West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan said: “Stijn was a member of the backroom staff when we arrived at the club in 2010 and immediately struck the board with his professionalism and commitment to the role.
“Since taking up his role as the head of medical and sports science, he has continued to show his expertise in his field and raise the bar with an ambitious philosophy.”
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