FOOTBALL’S HIDDEN HEALTH PROBLEMS

MITCHELL COLE

The West Ham trainee was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a teenager. Despite being advised to give up the game, he could not stay away and played in the 2007 FA Trophy final for Stevenage, scoring a goal at Wembley. Forced into retirement by his deteriorating condition in 2011, he suffered a heart attack in a Friday night kickaround with his friends on November 30, 2012, aged 27, and never revived. He left behind his wife Charly, sister of ex-England international Joe Cole, and three young children.

FABRICE MUAMBA

The Bolton midfielder collapsed during an FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham on March 17, 2012 and it was 78 minutes before his heart started beating again. After a month in hospital, he was sent home with the same pacemaker and defibrillator device Barnett now has. Although he was forced to retire from the game, he became a FIFA ambassador, did some media work and completed a degree in Sports Journalism, spending time on work experience at the Daily Express. Now 30, he is coaching Rochdale U16s while he works towards his UEFA badges.