Due to a medical emergency in the fans, the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur was called off after 40 minutes.
Spurs were leading Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park when referee Andre Marriner sent the player to the sidelines after fans passed a message on to the pitch alerting him to a dangerously ill spectator in the East Stand.
Newcastle’s team doctor, Paul Catterson, was dispatched across the ground with a defibrillator to the event. Marriner then called the players back into the locker rooms after speaking with police and stewards.
A few minutes later the fan was carried away on a stretcher, to applause around the stadium. “The supporter who was in need of urgent medical assistance has been stabilized and is on their way to the hospital,” Newcastle tweeted. “Our thoughts are with them.”
An announcement over the stadium’s public address system said the players would soon return to finish the first half after a short warm-up. “The players will be coming out to resume the first half,” they said. “There are seven minutes left to play.”