Latics' Rachid Bouaouzan in Action

Here's a video of our new signing Rachid Bouaouzan in action for Sparta Rotterdam.

Bouaouzan gained notoriety in Holland when he broke the right leg of striker Niels Kokmeijer in a first division game in December 2004 (seen in this video).

Kokmeijer, then with Go Ahead Eagles, suffered multiple fractures and was forced to retire from the game. Bouaouzan was suspended for the rest of the season by Sparta, a sentence greater than the 10-game penalty handed down by KNVB, Dutch football's governing body.

However, in an unprecedented move, Bouaouzan was taken to court by the Dutch government and Kokmeijer on a charge of battery. In August 2005, he was found guilty and received a suspended six-month jail sentence and ordered to serve 200 hours of community service.

Thanks to Handsome Jimmy Bullard for finding this, and well done Chris Hutchings for signing a tackling midfielder. Bravo!