JASON De Vos, his teeth still intact despite having four stitches inserted in a mouth wound at Luton on Saturday, revealed today that there was no way he was going to be substituted.

By Elvin King

JASON De Vos, his teeth still intact despite having four stitches inserted in a mouth wound at Luton on Saturday, revealed today that there was no way he was going to be substituted.

The 33-year-old central defender epitomised the spirit in the Blues camp by returning to the heart of the defence after taking a painful blow in the face.

“There was a discussion about whether I could continue, but I was adamant I was going to stay on,” said De Vos.

“The Luton doctor inserted the stitches and he did a great job, but it seemed an age that I was off the field.

“When I went off against Reading I came back and we were a goal down.

“But this time the lads played manfully for the 13 minutes I was missing.

“I took an elbow in the face, and unless the rules have changed it should have been a yellow card at least.”

Like the rest of the players, De Vos was confronted by a pitch that resembled a ploughed field.

“It puts criticism of Portman Road into perspective,” added De Vos.

“There may have been a few problems this season, but this has been taken out of context because our pitch has always been in such immaculate condition.

“Year after year it has been fantastic with head groundsman Alan Ferguson rightly winning awards.

“And he will again. Next season our pitch will be like Wembley again.”