Footballer 'mortified' after 'spearing' team-mate in training ground prank

St Mirren captain threw the spiked pole 'for a laugh'

Steven Thompson (left) and John McGinn (GETTY IMAGES)

Steven Thompson, the captain of St Mirren, has said he is "mortified" after he 'speared' a team-mate in a training ground prank.

Thompson threw a spiked pole at Scotland Under-21 player John McGinn "for a laugh", but the weapon went a centimetre into his team-mate's leg causing an injury that is expected to keep the midfielder out for three weeks.

"I'm mortified by the whole thing," said Thompson. "It was a daft prank. I threw it for a laugh, stupid me trying to be funny, and unfortunately it's anything but. It's a total disaster."

McGinn, who has made five appearances for the Scotland Under-21s, missed St Mirren's 4-1 Scottish Premiership win over Kilmarnock on Saturday as a result of the incident, which happened at the Ralston Training Complex last Thursday.

The BBC report that Thompson threw the pole after McGinn robbed him of possession during a training drill.

Thompson told the Scottish Sun: "I've been shocked by it, to be honest, really down about it. I like a laugh and a joke in training, but for something like this to happen is just unbelievable."