Ace, 28, is forced to quit after CPR ordeal

By Mark Carruthers

HORROR: Nick Cassidy suffered a cardiac arrest

NICK Cassidy has been forced to prematurely end a successful career that brought high points with Gateshead, Consett and Heaton Stannington after suffering a cardiac arrest earlier this month.

The former Newcastle United academy player was preparing for the 2025/26 Northern League season when he collapsed during a run and was rushed to hospital after undergoing CPR at the scene.

After being placed in a coma at a Tyneside hospital, Cassidy has now been fitted with a defibrillator and has been strongly advised by medics to hang up his boots at the tender age of just 28.

Reflecting on a life-changing fortnight, Cassidy admitted the thought of not crossing the white line again hurts – but stressed he also realises how fortunate he has been.

He told The NLP: “I’ve been the luckiest unlucky person on the planet because it’s unlucky it has happened – but it was lucky that there were people around that knew CPR, that there was a quick reaction from the paramedics and that I got great care from the nurses in intensive care.

“It’s been a scary and eye-opening time. Last Friday I had a defibrillator fitted into the side of my body and up into my heart, that will stay with me forever now.

“I don’t mind admitting that I looked at myself in the mirror and I don’t like looking at myself because there is this big box sticking out of my side. It’s a lot to get your head around.

“The support I’ve had from the hospitals has been immense and I can’t thank them enough, but I can’t get my head around the fact life changes and being told I can’t play football again hurts because football has been everything to me throughout my life.”

Cassidy has received heartfelt messages from former team-mates at the likes of Gateshead, Con-sett and Heaton Stannington and opposition clubs and players over the last fortnight.

However, a more unexpected message came from former Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer, inset, who knows only too well of the issues Cassidy is facing after going through the same experience over the last couple of seasons.

Cassidy revealed: “I got a message from Tom and he sent a video. You hear people doing those sort of videos for 20 seconds but it was two minutes long and he said he knew it was scary and it would hurt but that I would be ok.

“Getting that from him meant the world because he is one of the most high profile people to have gone through something like this – so for him to take time saying he knows what I’m going through and I’m going to be ok meant t h e world to me.”