Clashes between Fulham and Blackpool, then Oldham and Rochdale, had to be paused after fans suffered medical scares.
Two separate English football matches had to be halted on Saturday afternoon following further incidents of fans suffering medical emergencies in the crowd.
Around 10 minutes into the first half after the hosts went 1-0 up, play had to be suspended at Fulham’s Craven Cottage as they took on Blackpool when paramedics rushed to a supporter in the Hammersmith Stand that had been taken ill.
Medical staff of both clubs helped the professionals, as fellow fans used flags to block the view and grant privacy to first responders.
At the conclusion of a lengthy break, referee Peter Bankes ordered both teams back onto the pitch to resume the fixture which finished 1-1, and Fulham provided an update through a Twitter statement.
Prayers to our Fulham fan! ???? pic.twitter.com/zpZ1ph2xyb
— Gruban Malić (@MalicGruban) January 29, 2022
“The supporter being attended to is being transferred to the hospital. We’re sending our thoughts and best wishes for a full and speedy recovery,” the west London club said.
“We will provide an update on the situation as soon as we have further information.”
The supporter being attended to is being transferred to the hospital.
We’re sending our thoughts and best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
We will provide an update on the situation as soon as we have further information.#FFC
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 29, 2022
Up in the northwest, a similar incident occurred as Oldham hosted Rochdale at Boundary Park in League Two.
About 18 minutes into the derby, with the score tied at 0-0, one of the home team’s faithful suffered a scare in the Main Stand which also prompted professional help.
???? A further update on the Latics supporter is he’s now at hospital in a stabilised condition thankfully.
We hope he makes a swift recovery so we can all welcome him back to Boundary Park soon. #oafc https://t.co/MrWuU8wsa2
— Oldham Athletic (@OfficialOAFC) January 29, 2022
Also on Twitter, Oldham said the male was now “back responsive and receiving treatment” prior to providing a further update that praised fans for promptly alerting match stewards to the emergency.
“He’s now at hospital in a stabilized condition, thankfully,” added Oldham. “We hope he makes a swift recovery so we can all welcome him back to Boundary Park soon.”
As at Craven Cottage, play eventually resumed in Oldham where the points were shared through a goalless stalemate. But these skirmishes are just the latest in a litany that has plagued English football recently.
In October, a doctor in the stands supporting Newcastle, Dr. Tom Prichard, became a hero when an 80-year-old man required medical attention during an away trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
Then earlier this week, Dr. Prichard was heralded once more for forming part of the Middlesbrough medical team that raced into the terraces to help a Blackburn supporter that required resuscitation.
