John Fleck: Chesterfield FC footballer and ex-Premier League star collapses on pitch with a 'fit' minutes before kick-off

The clash between Chesterfield and Doncaster was delayed for 10 minutes last night (Thursday 6 February) as John Fleck received treatment before he was taken off on a stretcher and then on to hospital. He collapsed on the pitch just minutes before kick-off in the League Two match.

“We can confirm that John Fleck has been taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after being taken ill during the pre-match warm-up,” his club Chesterfield wrote on X. After the game, assistant manager Danny Webb suggested that Fleck suffered a 'fit' but reassured fans by saying the 33-year-old was in good spirits as he was taken off the field.

Webb told the Derbyshire Times: “He had a fit of some sort. The last we saw of him he was on a stretcher leaving, conscious, speaking and with a smile on his face. We will know more tomorrow. He is in good hands. Fingers crossed he seems to be okay.

“There was a period with John on the floor in the warm-up and football goes out of your mind. Our dressing room was a very quiet place before kick-off. Us as staff tried to lift the boys and let them know that John seemed to be okay when he left. They were flat because he is a team-mate and they care about him. They went out there and got the three points for John.”

Chesterfield beat second-placed Doncaster Rovers 5-2 at SMH Stadium as Fleck's place on the teamsheet was taken by Michael Jacobs. This is not the first time Fleck has had a health scare while playing. In 2021 when at Sheffield United, he collapsed during his side's Championship fixture with Reading, receiving 10 minutes of urgent medical treatment on the pitch at the Madejski Stadium before being transported to hospital.