Page last updated at 07:26 GMT, Monday, 24 August 2009 08:26 UK

Zola's shock over player stabbing

Calum Davenport
Calum Davenport joined West Ham from Tottenham

A football manager has spoken of his shock to discover one of his players had been stabbed in both legs.

Calum Davenport, 26, and his mother Kim, 49, are both stable in hospital in Bedford after an attack at their home in Springfield Avenue, Kempston.

Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola said: "We're very sorry about what happened. It's a terrible story."

A 25-year-old man was arrested in Derby on suspicion of attempted murder and is being questioned in Bedford.

Mr Zola was speaking after a match between West Ham and the player's former club Tottenham Hotspur.

"We can't imagine what he has been through in these moments," he said.

"The doctor told me that the situation is stable, he is okay.

"The situation will be clearer in the next few days. Now it's important that he's all right."

Gianfranco Zola
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola was shocked

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, the player's boss at Southampton earlier in his career, said: "I know Calum. I had him on loan - a lovely lad, inoffensive and it's really sad to see what's happened to him and his mum.

"Hopefully they'll pull through and be okay. You couldn't meet a brighter, more laid-back lad than him."

The footballer, who was a multi-million pound signing and an England Under-21 international, underwent emergency surgery on Saturday morning.

Neither his nor his mother's injuries were thought to be life-threatening but both remained at Bedford Hospital.

A spokeswoman for the force said a 19-year-old man also arrested soon after the incident remained in custody at the town's Greyfriars police station.

"He was arrested on suspicion of being involved in causing grievous bodily harm," she said.



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