After the events at White Hart Lane last weekend around Fabrice Muamba’s collapse I have wanted to wriite something but have been reaching a little for the words to convey just what I want to say. But here goes.

I believe sport has a unique power to unify people from different walks of life and different communities and Saturday was the clearest demonstration of that for a while.  How many of us have been moved not only to think of this young man and hope for his swift recovery, but also been moved by the mass outpouring of support from all sections of the football and sporting community?  I know I have, and every tiime I read a little update on his progress, I feel a little more joyful.

I would reflect on and praise a couple of specific events and people.  Firstly, the medics from  both Bolton and Spurs who came to the players aid, and the Spurs fan and Cardiologist in the crowd (Dr Andrew Deaner) who also ran on to help.  Well done to him, and to the stewards who let him through.  The Spurs fans who joined their Bolton compadre’s in singing Muamba’s name.  Howard Webb for deciding to abandon the game, and being applauded by the fans for doing so.  Gary Lineker’s simple words at the end of Match of the day.  I think it also noteworthy that Aston Villa agreed to postpone their match with Bolton too.  And of course we all love Gary Cahill’s t-shirt and the referree in that match for showing good sense not to book him for it after he scored for Chelsea.

There can be few other theatre’s that provide the vehicle to unite so many different people with so many different allegiancies behind a single cause.  That’s what sport does.

As an ardent Spurs fan myself, I can only hope Spurs fans would react in the same way had the same thing befallen Robin Van Persie after 41mins of a north London derby, and vice verca.`