The subject of defibrillators being available at or very near to grounds has been talked about and considered many times over recent Seasons. The Lincolnshire County Football Association, and the Lincoln & District Sunday Football League, strongly advise Clubs to ensure that they could access a defibrillator very quickly should the need arise to consider using one if at all possible.
Last week, Sunday 27th September 2026, there was a medical emergency incident in one of the Lincolnshire County Football Association’s County Sunday Cup matches after a player collapsed on the pitch.
Urgent and immediate first aid was required and administered and it was extremely fortunate that there happened to be a professional nurse at the match as a spectator who was able to render the emergency first aid required. It was also extremely fortunate that there was a defibrillator on site which needed to be used.
Thankfully,and mercifully, the player survived and was taken to hospital where he received continuous critical care.
It goes without saying that everyone connected to the League will send their very best wishes to the affected player, his family, his Club, and his friends, but at this stage the League is not commenting further as this is a matter of great confidentiality and the player and his family must be afforded the utmost privacy as the player continues with his recovery.
The message that must be emphasised is simple. It is not well and good to assume that incidents like this do not happen in or around our League. This one did. Without doubt the defibtillator saved the player’s life on this occasion, thank goodness that one was to hand.
If you do not know where the nearest defibrillator is to your ground I urge you to find out where the nearest one is located. It just may save someone’s life.
When the need arises time is critical. Please think long and hard about this and both the Lincolnshire County Football Association and our League cannot emphasise enough how important a defibrillator can be. In this occasion it most certainly saved the life of one of our own. Please think seriously about this, it can happen and in this case – it did.
League Secretary
