LONDON (Reuters) – An emotional Fabrice Muamba said he would rather be playing
than sitting in the stands watching Bolton Wanderers host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League after receiving a rapturous
ovasion before kickoff on Wednesday.
Wanderers' Fabrice Muamba reacts ahead of their English Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at the Reebok
Stadium, May 2, 2012. REUTERS/Darren Staples
Muamba wiped away tears
and waved to fans clapping and chanting his name, 46 days after making a remarkable recovery after suffering a cardiac arrest
in a match on March 17.
The 24-year-old Bolton midfielder collapsed in an FA Cup quarter-final against Spurs in London
and his heart stopped working on its own for 78 minutes. He came out of hospital just over two weeks ago.
“I wish I
was playing today,” Muamba told Sky Sports.
“I’m getting stronger every day, happy to be back, I’m happy to sit with
the fans. This is a special place if you play here you know how special it is.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for your support. It helped me every single day. I’ve got six or seven boxes of well-wishing cards to get through. The
support has been overwhelming. I’