Wrexham's Paul Mullin thought he might die after sickening collision with Man Utd goalkeeper Nathan Bishop
Mullin has spoken out about his injury ordeal.
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Topics: Wrexham, League Two
Ryan Smart
Topics: Wrexham, League Two
Wrexham forward Paul Mullin has revealed he thought he could die after suffering a punctured lung during a pre-season friendly against Manchester United last month.
The 28-year-old collided with United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop - who has since transferred to Sunderland - in the first half of the fixture at the Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego.
Mullin required oxygen from Wrexham medical staff and received seven minutes of treatment before walking off the pitch.
He was then taken to a nearby hospital, where he was told that he could not return home with his team-mates until he was fit enough to travel.
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Mullin has missed the start of Wrexham's League Two campaign, but has now flown home after spending time recovering in an apartment in Long Beach. No official date has yet been set for his return.
Now, the striker has opened up on his injury ordeal - and his fears in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Mullin recalls punctured lung incident
Writing in a column for The Athletic, Mullin explained: "I was trying to breathe in but nothing was happening. I couldn't get air into my lungs. That's when I knew it was bad.
"In that struggle for breath, with my lips turning blue, I accepted that this could be it for me. That's how it felt. I couldn't breathe properly for a few minutes."
He went on to add: "I remember, a few seconds earlier, getting my head to the ball and then going down.
"For someone like me who will do that kind of thing again and again, being winded is something I'm used to. It usually lasts around 10 seconds and is never nice. Only this time, I couldn't shake it."
Mullin then spoke of his disappointment at missing Wrexham's opening League Two game of the season. They lost 5-3 to MK Dons at the Racecourse Ground.
Phil Parkinson's side did register their first point of the season on Sunday, however, with a draw at AFC Wimbledon.
Mullin said: "To miss out on that [MK Dons] game, the one we spent the past two years dreaming of, our first one back in the EFL, was difficult.
"Thankfully I was allowed to fly home last week. Getting back home to my family felt incredible. Albi was ecstatic.
"I watched our League Cup win against Wigan Athletic before heading to the airport. It was good boarding the plane knowing we are through to the next round."