'Great news' - Suffolk football chairmen react to Premier League defibrillator fund
Denmark's Christian Eriksen who collapsed recently on the pitch during a match with Finland in the Euros - Credit: PA
The Premier League have agreed to fund more than 2,000 new defibrillators across grassroots football.
The news comes in the wake of the traumatic scenes at the Euros when Denmark star Christian Eriksen needed CPR and his heart to be shocked back into action after collapsing on the pitch during the clash with Finland.
It has been greeted positively by Suffolk non-league chairmen.
"This is obviously a good thing for grassroots football," said Ipswich Wanderers chairman Stephen Boyle.
"We are in the process of already installing one at Humber Doucy Lane, so it's good to see the Premier League doing this."
Andy Crisp, chairman of Leiston said: "We already have a defibrillator at the ground, but this is obviously a great gesture from the Premier League. Much has been said about the lack of support from the Premier League towards grassroots, so this is a good thing and hopefully paves the way for more help from the Premier League in the future."
Meanwhile Bury Town chairman Russell Ward commented: "We have had one for about three years and thankfully never had to use it. The cost of it was enough, but it was a cost we had to find. But for smaller clubs who don't have that money, this is a really good thing to happen."
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The Premier League have announced it will provide more than 2,000 new Automated External Defibrillators (AED) at thousands of grassroots football clubs and facilities.
The first phase will see the AEDs rolled out to Football Foundation funded facilities which currently do not have access to the life-saving device.
Then grassroots clubs across England who own their own facilities will then be able to apply for funding for a defibrillator.
More than 2,000 sites will benefit from this investment, with the first 1,000 units delivered in time for the start of season 2021-22 and the second wave expected in September.
As part of the scheme, each recipient will have required to send at least one person on the FA’s free Sudden Cardiac Arrest course to learn how to use them and also help with tips on CPR.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “The traumatic incident we all witnessed when Christian Eriksen collapsed during the European Championships brings into sharp focus the need for defibrillators to be more widely available across the football community."
