AN ALBION fan has spoken of his gratitude after the club’s staff helped save his life.

Derek Budgen, 73, was watching the Albion v Birmingham match when he started suffering chest pains.

He alerted St John Ambulance personnel and his last memory was being told to lay down in the concourse, before being given life-saving treatment, using a defibrillator donated to the club by the Sussex Heart Charity.

Mr Budgen was then rushed to the Royal Sussex by ambulance, and underwent further successful surgery, before being discharged three days later – and the swift and decisive action of all involved means he will be able to make a full recovery from the ordeal.

The East Stand season-ticket holder has expressed his gratitude after the team effort by staff at the Albion, St John Ambulance and South East Coast Ambulance Service, and medics at the A and E and cardiology department at the Royal Sussex Hospital.

Mr Budgen said: “If I wasn’t at the Amex when it happened, I wouldn’t be here now – it’s as simple as that.

“Thanks to Dr Rob Galloway, St John Ambulance, SECAMB, club staff, those at the Royal Sussex, and of course the defibrillators that are at the stadium, I was in the best possible hands to get my heart going again and I am eternally grateful to everyone for saving my life.”

Albion crowd doctor Dr Galloway added: “St John Ambulance staff treated Mr Budgen as soon as his heart stopped.

“The defibrillator got his heart started again but it kept stopping, so we administered amiodarone which stabilised his heart as it was so damaged after the cardiac arrest.

“He was transferred to hospital to receive a stent in his main artery which was 100 per cent blocked. It is very surprising that a patient with such extensive damage to his heart could not only have survived the cardiac arrest, but has had such a good outcome and quality of life.”

Trevor Moss, St John Ambulance district manager, said: “Well done to all who were involved in this incident, which shows how professional our first aid teams are in these situations.

“They worked quickly and calmly and we’re all delighted to hear Mr Budgen is on the road to recovery.”

• Fans more stressed than team

AN experiment, which was carried out by DARE for Barclays, found football fans suffered higher levels of stress than the players on the field.

But, after all, it’s only a game – so when the Albion are chasing that crucial goal or point to cement their place in the Championship over the coming days, here is a bit of perspective.

• The top ten most stressful things in life according to Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale:

1. Death of a spouse

2. Divorce

3. Marital separation

4. Imprisonment

5. Death of a close family member

6. Personal injury or illness

7. Marriage

8. Dismissal from work

9. Marital reconciliation

10. Retirement