‘I was screaming’ – footballer stabbed seven times recalls mass knife attack

I was screaming – Jonathan Gjoshe, a 23-year-old defender, is still processing the traumatic events of 1 November last year. Despite the fear and pain, he remains thankful to be alive. “I’m grateful to be alive,” he says, reflecting on the harrowing incident that changed his life in an instant.

The Day of the Attack

It was just another train ride for Gjoshe, who was traveling from Doncaster back to London after a day of football training. The journey had started normally, with him “chilling” and unaware of the danger looming. But about an hour in, chaos erupted. “Suddenly, someone came over my shoulder and stabbed me,” he recalls. The attack left him among 11 passengers severely injured, with the train passing through Cambridgeshire at the time.

“I got stabbed on the shoulder first,” he tells BBC Sport in an exclusive interview. “I remember jumping over the table, jumping over the chairs. I was just running down the corridor, telling people, ‘there’s a guy with a knife, run, I’ve been stabbed, run, run, run.’ I was screaming. I think I was the first person that got stabbed.”

The attacker’s presence had stunned the passengers, some of whom initially dismissed the threat as a Halloween prank. “Some thought it was a joke at first,” Gjoshe explains. “It was the day before Halloween, so people were still in the festive mood. But I felt like he was coming for me. I had to act fast.”

Surviving the Chaos

As the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon, armed police rushed to the scene. Gjoshe, drenched in blood, had already pulled the alarm after escaping to the first or second carriage. “I was thinking I wasn’t going to see my family again,” he says, describing the emotional weight of the moment. “If I died, that would be the end of everything for me.”

“I was screaming. I think I was the first person that got stabbed. I felt the pain, but adrenaline kicked in.”

His injuries included seven wounds to his bicep, shoulder, and arm. The knife had sliced through his muscle, narrowly avoiding a nerve. “They told me it had gone through my muscle,” he says. “I didn’t have a clue until I had the surgery. They said, ‘It’s not much from the nerve. You’re very lucky.’”

Recovery and Resilience

Following the attack, Gjoshe spent weeks in hospital, moving between wards as media outlets vied for a glimpse of the player who had become a symbol of the incident. “They had to move me from ward to ward because of the media that were coming there looking for me,” he recalls. The recovery was slow, requiring months of rehabilitation before he could return to full training in March.

“It was a big relief when I started to get the movement of my arm back,” he says. “Day by day, it was getting better. It was an amazing feeling.”

Though he initially avoided public attention, Gjoshe eventually opened up about the ordeal. “I was very worried. Just thinking, ‘what damage has happened to me?’” he says. The experience has left him wary of trains, which he now avoids entirely. “I wouldn’t want to now. You just never know. It’s best to be safe.”

A New Chapter

Despite the challenges, Gjoshe’s career has continued to evolve. The attack occurred just weeks into his first season at Scunthorpe United, where he had joined earlier that year. His rise in the football pyramid was swift: after years of playing in lower-league teams in London, he secured a move to Scunthorpe following a standout performance in pre-season with manager Andy Butler.

“I was thinking I wasn’t going to see my family again, if I died, and that was the main worry for me,” he says. “Normally I would drive back down to London. That was the first time I got on a train to go back. What’s the chance of that happening? It’s crazy.”

His journey with Scunthorpe included a debut against Leeds United’s under-21 squad in the National League Cup and a loan spell at Bottesford Town. The club had even launched a fundraising campaign for him, raising £4,500 through a “GoFund Me” page. “The support they showed for me, the club as well, it meant a lot,” he says.

Looking Ahead

Yet, the attack has also led to a new chapter in Gjoshe’s life. Recently, he learned that he was not being retained by Scunthorpe, a decision that followed months of recovery and adjustment. “A few days before we meet, I found out I was among several players not being kept,” he shares. The club’s Instagram post thanking him and wishing him “the best of luck for the future” marked the end of his time at Scunthorpe.

“I was screaming. I think I was the first person that got stabbed. I felt the pain, but adrenaline kicked in.”

Gjoshe is now seeking a fresh start elsewhere, driven by both his desire to stay safe and his ambition to continue playing. “I just can’t trust anything now,” he says. “I need to focus on what’s next.” His journey from the trauma of the attack to the next phase of his career underscores his determination to move forward. As he looks back, he emphasizes the importance of support and resilience in overcoming such a shocking experience. “It’s not just about surviving,” he says. “It’s about rebuilding and finding strength in the aftermath.”

The incident has left a lasting impact, not only on Gjoshe but on the broader football community. It serves as a reminder of the unpredictable dangers that can strike even in the most mundane moments. For Gjoshe, the road to recovery has been long, but his voice is now steady, and his resolve clear. The defender is ready to share his story, not just to recount the attack, but to inspire others facing similar challenges.