Football fan dies after match abandoned due to medical emergency

04 October 2023 , 10:26

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Leyton Orient fans ran onto the pitch to get medical assistance for the supporter (Image: Daily Star)

A Leyton Orient supporter has been confirmed dead after receiving CPR at the side of a pitch on Tuesday night.

The man was taken ill during Orient's League One game with Lincoln City. Fellow supporters rushed onto the field in a bid to help him before medical help arrived, with the clash duly abandoned.

A London Ambulance Service statement read: “We were called yesterday at 9:28pm to reports of a person becoming unwell at Leyton Orient Football Club, on Brisbane Road. We sent a number of resources to the scene, including an incident response officer, two medics in fast-response cars and an ambulance crew.

“Our first medic arrived in approximately four minutes. We treated a man at the scene, but very sadly, despite our teams’ best efforts, he was later pronounced dead.”

The home side were leading 1-0 at Brisbane Road when in the 82nd minute, fans ran from the East Stand onto the pitch to alert the referee to a medical emergency in the crowd. Stewards also sped to the scene, with play initially continuing before referee Stephen Martin halted proceedings.

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Around an hour after the game was stopped, the game was abandoned for good at 10.25pm. And medical teams were still attending to the man as fans left the stadium, with the Independent reporting the individual suffered a heart attack.

Following the abandonment, the London club released the following statement of clarification: "Tuesday’s fixture against Lincoln City was abandoned due to a medical emergency in the East Stand of Brisbane Road," it read.

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"The thoughts of everyone at Leyton Orient Football Club are with the individual involved and their loved ones at this distressing time. The club would like to thank all supporters in attendance at Brisbane Road this evening for the understanding and compassion shown, during a very difficult situation."

And Lincoln also sent words of support, stating: "Tonight's match at Brisbane Road will not be restarted due to the ongoing medical emergency. All our thoughts are with the Orient supporter at this time."

Fraser Watson