AFC Wimbledon midfielder Sam Hutchinson revealed he had a heart attack during the game where his goal later sealed a League Two play-off place.
The 35-year-old has undergone surgery to place a stent in a blocked artery after he fell ill following his side’s 1-0 win at Grimsby on May 2.
Hutchinson, whose career began at Chelsea, had a heart attack in the sixth minute but went on to play the full 90 minutes at Blundell Park, scoring the 53rd-minute winner.
It was only on the journey home that his symptoms worsened, leading him to have heart surgery.
‘I was experiencing a lot of pain,’ he told the club website. ‘I got on the coach after the game, the adrenaline wore off and I started having more pains in my chest. From there we made a pit stop in Nottingham.
‘We went into the hospital and they essentially told me I’d had a heart attack. I was in there for five days having tests done.
‘A branch of an artery was blocked 75 per cent – I had an angiogram and had a stent put in by a specialist in London who was unbelievable. I’m on the road to recovery now.’
The Dons made it through to Monday’s play-off final against Walsall, where Hutchinson will take a watching brief.
However, he is already back running and is expecting to resume his career.
‘I broke down when they told me in the hospital because playing football is all I ever want to do,’ he said. ‘I didn’t care that I had a heart attack, I’m not really like that.
‘It happened in the sixth minute of the game, I carried on and played the full 90. The specialist in London has told me there’s no problem with playing football again, so I’m happy.’
He added: ‘I ran (on Monday), believe it or not. A lot of people say things slow down but I feel really good. I’m going to crack on and come back bigger and stronger.
‘I am absolutely devastated I can’t play on Monday. I genuinely think I could play. It would be dangerous but I could play. I would love to, I’m not going to.’
