Football fans have united in support for Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba, who was fighting for his life on Saturday night after collapsing on the pitch during an FA Cup quarter-final match.
The cup tie, between Tottenham Hotspur and Bolton, was abandoned after the former England Under-21 international collapsed and stopped breathing near the halfway line, 41 minutes into the game. Horrified team-mates rushed to his aid but could only look on helplessly as paramedics spent about 10 minutes trying to resuscitate him.
The 23-year-old was later taken to the London Chest Hospital in Hackney [see footnote].
A Bolton spokesman confirmed that Muamba had been admitted to the hospital's heart attack centre, where he was said to be in a "critically ill condition in intensive care".
An eerie silence descended on White Hart Lane after he collapsed – shortly before half time when the score stood at 1-1.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle and players gathered around their team-mate while medical staff administered emergency aid.
Supporters from both teams then broke out into spontaneous applause and chanted Muamba's name as he was taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Referee Howard Webb consulted with the managers and captains of both clubs before calling off the game. Several footballers took to Twitter to express their shock and send messages of support.
Tottenham midfielder Rafael Van Der Vaart, who was on the pitch when Muamba collapsed, wrote: "Terrible what happened with Muamba during the game. We're all praying for him." Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere, a former Bolton team-mate, posted: "Hope Muamba is okay. Thoughts with him."
Middlesbrough defender Justin Hoyte, who came through the Arsenal youth team with Muamba, posted: "I seriously hope my best friend in football is OK. Stay strong bro please please stay strong. God is with you remember that." Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone wrote: "Thoughts with Fab and his family. Feel sick watching this, puts football and everything else into perspective." Fans were visibly shaken as they left the ground in silence.
Tottenham supporter Paul Bowman, 53, from Hertfordshire, said: "The player went down with no one near him. He just collapsed.
"The other players saw immediately that this looked bad. We could see they were trying to resuscitate him. Everyone was in shock.
"All the support staff and substitutes were on the pitch. Fans from both teams were chanting Muamba's name.
"It was eerie coming out of the ground. No one was saying anything. There was hush, a silence. No one could quite believe it. It was terrible."
Muamba has led an extraordinary life both on and off the pitch after coming to the UK when he was just 11 as a refugee.
He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire, and grew up witnessing the horrors of a civil war which claimed millions of lives.
His father, Marcel, worked for the regime of former Zaire president Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997. He was forced to leave his family and flee the country after being hunted by rebel forces for his political views.
Marcel's wife, Gertrude, and four children were taken in by Muamba's uncle. However, they too had to leave when the uncle was killed. In a 2008 interview, Muamba said: "It was very, very tough. I saw the war. I saw people die. I grew up with it. It was scary.
"I didn't live far from the gunshots and the sound of them going off. It was difficult to get used to, especially hearing guns at night. It did have an effect on me.
"It stopped us going out to play football because we were scared we would get killed. One or two of my friends were hurt, one or two of them have since died."
Muamba was granted asylum in 1999 and arrived in the UK unable to speak English, but quickly picked up the language and excelled at school.
He juggled his passion for football with his studies, and gained A-levels in French, maths and English. He had ambitions to become an accountant one day and be referred to as "Dr Muamba".
He is said to be deeply religious and enjoys listening to opera and spending time with his fiancée Shauna and son Joshua Jeremiah.
Muamba started his footballing career as a member of Arsenal's youth team in 2002, signing his first professional contract with the club three years later.
He joined Birmingham City in 2006 where he stayed for two years before joining Bolton.
Muamba has also represented England at every youth level.
