PABLO Martinez’s life was saved due to the well-prepared nature of Chippenham Town Football Club and its quick-thinking medical staff, according to manager Gary Horgan.

Martinez suffered a cardiac arrest half an hour into the Bluebirds’ National League South game with Chelmsford City last weekend but was resuscitated by club doctors after his heart had briefly stopped.

The 21-year-old was given CPR on the pitch before being shocked with the club’s defibrillator, which helped return the former Bristol Rovers player to consciousness.

He was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary by ambulance and is expected to make a full recovery following further tests.

Days after the shocking incident, Horgan praised everyone involved in ensuring Martinez’s life was saved and highlighted the importance of every public place having a defibrillator.

Horgan said: “Until something like this happens, you don’t realise how prepared the football club is.

“The on-site medics and club doctor, and even within the team, we’ve got lads who are recently first-aid trained. As a team and a club, it just goes to show how well-prepared we were for something of that scale.

“But absolutely, if we hadn’t had the defibrillator in that type of scenario then I think we would have been looking at a very different type of scenario.”

Chippenham chairman Neil Blackmore echoed Horgan’s comments regarding the defibrillator.

He said: “I would say to anybody - and not just sports clubs - that if you don’t have a defibrillator or have access to one, please get one. Do some fundraising, get a sponsor, but get one.

“It sits in the cupboard apart from when it’s being serviced, so you don’t think about it. But the day you need it, my goodness is it worth the money.”

Chippenham were due play Oxford City on Tuesday night, but after a brief request to the National League for the game to be postponed on compassionate grounds, permission was granted.

Horgan said the vast majority of the club have tried to see Martinez at least once since he was admitted to hospital, and the defender has reportedly been in extremely good spirits despite his ordeal.

The hope is that Martinez may well be able to continue playing for Chippenham should he make a full recovery and be fitted with a pacemaker – much like Danish professional Christian Eriksen following his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.

Horgan said: “He’s booked in for a series of tests this week, and then we should know more in the next week or so.

“But as the doctors told him early on, he’s got every chance of coming back, should he want to, because of how fit he is.”