Newcastle: A fast to act Sergio Reguilon got the encounter between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspurs halted upon seeing a fan in dire medical condition in the stands.
With five minutes of the first half remaining, as Tottenham were taking a due corner, the fans in Gallowgate stand behind the goal requested the game to be stopped because of something happening in the adjacent East Stand. Tottenham defended Eric Dier quickly ran to the side of the pitch and called for a defibrillator to be taken for the fan. While Reguilon and other players from both the sides requested the referee Andre Mariner to halt the encounter. Consulting the stewards and the assistants , the referee sent the players to the dressing room early.
A member of the St James’ Park medical team then ran across the pitch with the defibrillator as a number of paramedics treated the supporter, who was eventually carried out of the stand on a stretcher for further treatment.
A statement on Newcastle’s official Twitter account read:
“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.”
The game was resumed shortly after and seven minutes of extra time were added to it. The match ended in a 3-2 win for the Spurs. Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and Hueng Min Son featured for the north London side while a howler from Eric Dier gave Newcastle their second, after Callum Wilson scored the first.
Speaking to the BBC after the game , of that incident Reguilon said:
“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 and he stopped the match. I think now everything is OK and 100% 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.
