The National League South match between Chippenham Town and Chelmsford City was abandoned after player Pablo Martinez collapses on the pitch.
The 20 year old defender, was taken ill 27 minutes into game, with former Wales youth international taken to hospital in Bristol by ambulance.
“Pablo cleared the ball and with no-one else around him just fell to the ground. He’s gone out in the ambulance and it looks like he’s OK at the moment,” Horgan said on BBC Radio Wiltshire.
Player announced as responsive breathing and just seen sitting up as transferred to an ambulance – everyone at Chippenham should be proud of the rapid response doctor on pitch in seconds ambulance minutes and air ambulance too 🙏🏻for a full recovery https://t.co/FNSEIo43Ge
— Chris W (@trickyterra2) August 13, 2022
“It’s not a good thing to experience, but we’re really pleased that Pablo’s OK and it looks like at this moment in time, given the early prognosis from the medical teams that have dealt with him and tended to him, that he’s going to make a full recovery.”
Chippenham said Martinez had been “stabilised” and was “breathing” by the time a decision was made to call off the encounter, with the Wiltshire club later confirming his condition is “not life-threatening”.
A former academy player at West Bromwich Albion, Martinez moved to Bristol Rovers in August 2020, going on to play nine times for the club towards the end of the 2020-21 season and featured in League Two last season.
Horgan says he’s unsure whether his side’s game on Tuesday at home to Martinez’s former club Oxford City should go ahead.
“I don’t have the stomach for a game of football on Tuesday right now,” he said.
“If it was going Saturday to Saturday, we’d probably be ready and in a frame of mind where we could think about football.
“But to go from Saturday to Tuesday, without us getting together as a group between now and then, would be very difficult.
“At this moment in time I don’t think anybody really wants to play football on Tuesday, it’s the furthest thing from our minds at the moment.”
— Chippenham Town FC (@ChipTownFC) August 13, 2022
Still in total shock from today, main thing is that Pablo is stable. Great response from all of the medical staff to attend Pablo as quick as possible. Wishing you a speedy recovery @pablojm78 hopefully see you back on the pitch soon ❤️💪🏼 @OfficialClarets @ChipTownFC https://t.co/ndlNvDqoXi
— Morgan snow (@morgan_snow06) August 13, 2022
There was plenty of supportive messages sent in with the National League South match abandoned after the player collapses on the pitch…
@misu2001: Wishing him a full and speedy recovery. Well done to the physio.
@mattfordvcp: Sending well wishes to Pablo.
@fifafc22: Glad to hear that he’s ok ❤️ hope his recovery is ok
@foleyfliwuernwt: Oh god that’s good news. Horrible to see this kind of thing. All the best in your recovery 🤞
@davmort: Thank goodness for this ⚽️💙
@STFClukem: Hope it’s just the heat and nothing serious 🙏
@TomChiChiRuiz: Great to hear! @pablojm78 speedy recovery! ❤️
@jackbstfc; Thankfully he’s stable, wish him nothing but good health 💙
@hsmithy31: That’s good news. Sending my best wishes for a speedy recovery 🙏🏻⚽️
@Kpz2005: Omg, thank god he seems ok. wishing you a speedy recovery Pablo, how scary for everyone 💙⚽️
@mattchapp96: If any supporters/players need someone to talk to after witnessing what happened this afternoon. Please make sure you DM me, more than happy to help anyone affected by today’s events.
@WayneLawther: On behalf of the @ChipTownFC family, thank you, @arforbess for all you did this afternoon. You instinctively acted with professionalism, compassion and calmness. Well done, bro, and thank you
@Robbiefield8: Great news that he is stable and hopefully has a speedy recovery. Amazing response from both teams, medics, NHS and Eddie Jones.
@westhammer011: Thanks to our physio. Not all heroes wear capes. Not a religious man but all my thoughts are with Pablo. Horrible to see. Make sure that physio gets Kudos, top man and thanks for stepping up.
@DdavisonDiane: Stay strong young man, we are all thinking of you @OfficialClarets 💙
@Sammijayjax: Feel better soon pablo, hopefully just the heat and you’ll be back on the pitch in no time 💙
@majorbrfc: Get well soon Pablo. And big shout out to the all the staff for their quick response and actions!
@SimonHutchins2: That sounds like it is good news. I hope that Pablo is soon well again. My thoughts are with him & his family at this difficult time. From an @AFCTotton fan, whose first live game was against Chippenham Town (a 1-1 draw), so I have always had a soft spot for you.
@ColmTheTim: Sends a shiver everytime I read something like this, I wish the player and all those who assisted him the best x
@chrisbizarre2: It’s not something I wish to witness for a long time. You could tell it was serious the second he went down and everyone did their thing to secure the best outcome.
@child_gavin: Wishing Pablo all the best and our thoughts are with him, friends, family. Moments like these put everything else into perspective all the best from all of us @ColneyHeathFC
@alexbarmy: All of football wishes @pablojm78 a speedy recovery. I am sure it was traumatic for all to witness and I commend you on reaching out to find support for them.
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