The most dramatic moment of Newcastle’s first game under new ownership came off the pitch as players raced into action to save a fan’s life.
Newcastle’s home game against Tottenham in the English Premier League was halted after a fan was believed to have suffered a suspected heart attack as players sprung into action to help.
Spurs star Eric Dier ran over to the dugout to ask for a medical staffer to bring a defibrillator onto the pitch.
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The England centre-half had been alerted to the incident by teammate Sergio Reguilon, who urgently told the referee of the need to stop the game.
Players from both sides were then told to go to the sidelines as the crowd fell into silence.
The incident happened two minutes before half-time, with Tottenham 2-1 up at St James’s Park against the recently taken-over Geordies. The players were then told to return to the changing room as treatment was being administered.
The crowd and players reacted swiftly to call for medical attention, and referee Andre Marriner soon realised it was a medical emergency. After around 20 minutes the man was moved by the medical teams, and the crowd burst into applause.
After the game, which Tottenham won 3-2, Reguilon revealed although he was happy Spurs picked up three points, he was more relieved to hear the supporter was in a stable condition.
The Spanish defender told Match of the Day: “I think three points is always a moment of happiness but for me more important is the guy (the supporter who received medical treatment), they are telling me he is OK and stable.
“I saw the fans waving and I saw a guy lying down, I saw something wrong had happened. I looked at the gaffer (coach) and he stopped the match. I think now everything is OK and 100 per cent happiness.
“It was very strange, we went to the dressing room and I was looking at the man lying down, I was nervous because I don’t like to watch that.”
There was good news about the man’s condition, as reported by journalist Martin Hardy. The Times reporter tweeted: “The Newcastle fan who needed emergency attention during the first half of the club’s game with Spurs is now awake and responsive in hospital.”
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce was full of praise for the ground staff and supporters after the match.
He said: “Everybody in the ground deserves credit. I hear the man is OK, thankfully, so it puts things in to perspective a little bit.
“It looks like good news, so I’m delighted for his family.”
Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo praised his players Dier and Reguilon for their swift actions.
“It was instinctive, immediate, from Eric Dier and Sergio Reguilon, their reactions. We know that he is stable and that is good,” he said.
Tottenham captain Harry Kane passed on his well wishes from the Spurs players while Newcastle striker Callum Wilson spoke of the disturbing nature and seriousness of the stoppage.
“I think it was massive really, the crowd was fantastic, they alerted everyone,” Wilson said.
“It was disturbing to see the guy like that, we wish him well and wish him a speedy recovery.
“You could here fans whistling, shouting, then we saw the space clear where this guy was receiving CPR and then you know how serious it is.”
Back in the Sky Sports studio on English TV, an emotional David Ginola, who suffered a heart attack while playing in a charity game in France in 2016, appeared distressed.
He, along with fellow pundits Jamie Redknapp and Kieron Dyer, took the moment to stress the importance of having defibrillators at games, saying it was “vital”.
“Having people in the stands as well being able to perform CPR helps massively because waiting for the defibrillator you need to perform CPR,” Ginola said.
“We should all be informed to perform CPR to help each other.”
Newcastle later tweeted out that “the supporter who was in need of urgent medical assistance has been stabilised and is on their way to hospital. Our thoughts are with them”.
Once the man was taken into the ambulance, the players returned to the pitch to play the final two minutes of normal time and seven of injury-time.
In that period of play visitors Spurs took a 3-1 lead into half-time when Son Heung-Min netted from Harry Kane’s pass.
Jonjo Shelvey was later sent off for the home side before Dier turned in an own goal, but Spurs held on for all three points.
This article first appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
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