AFC WIMBLEDON defender Sam Hutchinson has revealed that he suffered a heart attack just six minutes into a crucial League Two match – and then went on to score.
The 35-year-old endured the frightening ordeal against Grimbsy Town earlier this month.
Just moments into the match, unbeknownst to him, Hutchinson suffered a heart attack while on the pitch.
As he wasn’t aware of what was happening, the defender played on and completed the full match.
He even scored the decisive goal in the 52nd minute as Wimbledon clinched a 1-0 win to secure a place in the League Two play-offs.
But it wasn’t until after full-time that he realised something was seriously wrong.
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Recalling the ordeal while speaking to Wimbledon club media this week, he explained: “It’s crazy really. Obviously I was experiencing a lot of pain then.
“I look back as well and my mrs said: ‘Oh you didn’t look right when you had the interview,’ and then I got back on the coach, started getting more chest pains, the adrenaline wore off and we ended up making a pit stop in Nottingham.”
He continued: “Bob [Bacic, head physio] took me in and basically they said I had a heart attack.
“Then they said it could be an infection, so I was in there for five days.
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“I was like a pin cushion by the end of it, I was getting loads of tests done.
“And then it turned out, yeah, I did actually have a heart attack.
“A branch of an artery was blocked, 75 per cent, so I had an angiogram and they put a stent in. I had that in London and saw a top specialist who was unbelievable.
“And I’m on the road to recovery now.”
Hutchinson went on to admit that he “broke down” after being told he’d suffered a heart attack because he didn’t want his football career to end.
But the specialist he saw insisted there is “no problem” with him continuing to play.
AFC Wimbledon face Walsall in the League Two play-off final on Monday.
And while he is “devastated” that he will miss the occasion, Hutchinson is looking forward to watching.
He added: “I’m there to support the boys and fingers crossed we can get it over the line and do what everyone wants us to do.
“I genuinely think I could play, obviously it would be dangerous but that’s just my opinion. I’m never going to but I’d love to.”
Hutchinson joined Chelsea at the age of nine and graduated from the club’s academy to make the first team.
However, he was limited to just six senior appearances in total.
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The defender was loaned out to Nottingham Forest, Vitesse and Sheffield Wednesday before completing a permanent move to Hillsborough.
He then went on to play for Pafos and Reading before joining AFC Wimbledon in December.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
