Do it for Doddy

Adam ‘Doddy’ Dodd has been a stalwart of the FC starting line-up since he joined the club in 2019, making 99 appearances in three seasons, two of which were cut short due to the pandemic. Known for his legendary workrate, his knack of chipping in with some thunderbolts for goals, then his Connor McGregor goal celebration, you’d have expected him to have been one of the first on the plane to Rimini, but while the team prepared to compete for the Fenix Trophy Final, he was in hospital in Blackpool

In his own words Doddy tells what happened:

“I’m Adam Dodd, 29 work as a plumber and play footy semi-professionally for FC United of Manchester. On the 3rd of June my life was completely turned upside down, I went to bed as normal with my girlfriend and a couple hours later, she woke up to the sounds of me in cardiac arrest. My heart had stopped and I was dying.

Luckily, she heard my gasping and called 999 and performed CPR until the ambulance arrived 16 minutes later. If I hadn’t received this CPR I would have died or would be brain dead. The chances of surviving an out of hospital cardiac arrest are 3%.

When the ambulance arrived, they shocked me with a defibrillator and it took a few attempts to get my pulse back. I was taken to Blackpool Hospital and put on the intensive care ward in an induced coma where I remained for 4 days. They were worried about brain damage and didn’t know if I would wake up. I have no memory of any of this, but I can imagine how traumatic this would have been for my loved ones, not knowing if I would wake up, and if I did, if I would have severe brain damage.

On the 7th June I was awoken from the coma and I have since been recovering in hospital. Because of the high-quality CPR I received, the amazing care from the NHS I am making a good recovery and I am waiting for a defibrillator to be fitted before I can return home.

I am extremely lucky to be alive and I want to raise awareness about the importance of being CPR trained & people knowing about public defibrillators and how to use them because this is what can save someone’s life.

I’ve always been a fit lad and looked after myself and would never expect anything like this to happen to me, but that’s how quickly life can be turned upside down.

I am not going to be able to work, play football or drive for a while and the recovery process will take time, but I am just grateful to be alive.

Thank you so much for all the messages of support, it means the world to me and is helping me on my road to recovery. 

Love, Doddy x"

As every FC fan will know, Captain Michael Potts left FC victoriously holding aloft the Fenix Trophy, and in the weeks running up to the final Neil Reynolds needed to choose a new Captain to replace Pottsy, Reno explains:

“After working with Adam for a number of years I have not only witnessed his impressively consistent performances, that built his reputation of being the  best left back in the league but also I have noticed that he has matured into a true leader. When Pottsy announced his break from the game, there was only one person for me. I already had Chaz as my vice-captain and thought it was time for another voice, so at the end of May I asked Doddy to be the Captain of FC United, in him I have someone I trust and respect and also someone that always leads by example and Integrity.”

Adam is going to have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted, which is a device that detects any life-threatening, rapid heartbeat. This abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. If it occurs, the ICD quickly sends an electrical shock to the heart. This is the same device that Christian Eriksen had after his cardiac arrest, and has since seen him return to play in the Premier League.

Following that surgery though, he is looking at months without any income as a self-employed tradesman, as he recuperates both physically and also mentally as he comes to terms with in his words “going to hell and back”

A crowdfunder has been set up to support Adam to ensure that his hardship is minimsed while he fights to get back to where he was and we all hope make his hundredth FC appearance proudly wearing that captain’s armband – if you can at all help, please consider donating by clicking here.