Arsenal and Tottenham legend Pat Jennings rushed to hospital after collapsing before Spurs vs Chelsea

6 months ago 35

TOTTENHAM legend Pat Jennings was rushed to hospital after collapsing ahead of last night’s clash with Chelsea.

The iconic goalkeeper, 78, was in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch his former club.

The legendary goalkeeper suffered a health scare before Spurs’ clash with Chelsea[/caption]

The former Northern Ireland ace played for Spurs for 13 years[/caption]

Jennings remarkably went on to achieve icon status at bitter rivals Arsenal[/caption]

However, he missed the Blues emerge victorious in an extraordinary 4-1 victory against his beloved Spurs after falling ill before kick off.

A Tottenham statement confirmed the worrying news on Tuesday.

It read: “We can confirm legendary former goalkeeper Pat Jennings (455) was taken ill at last night’s game,

“After undergoing precautionary tests at hospital, he was discharged shortly after midnight and given the all-clear to attend his statue unveiling in his hometown of Newry, Northern Ireland tomorrow.

“We wish you well, Pat, and look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

Jennings made more than 450 appearances for Tottenham after joining them from Watford in 1964.

During that period he helped them to lift the League Cup twice and the FA Cup.

And he was also in the side that won the 1972 Uefa Cup.

Jennings won a host of trophies for both Spurs and the Gunners[/caption]

Jennings also famously SCORED against Manchester United in the 1967 Charity Shield – now known as the Community Shield.

The 119-capped Northern Ireland international left Tottenham after 13 years in 1977 – but he did not go far.

Remarkably, he joined North London rivals Arsenal and went on to achieve iconic status there too despite his past with Spurs.

Jennings made over 250 appearances for the Gunners, winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 1977, and added another FA Cup medal to his collection before the much-loved star departed in 1985 to seemingly retire and begin his coaching career.

However, he signed on briefly for Everton the following year after they suffered an injury crisis but failed to make an appearance for the Toffees. He eventually retired from playing after representing his country at the 1986 World Cup.

He would later go on to be goalkeeper coach at Spurs and he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Jennings married Eleanor Toner, a singer from Newry, in 1967 and they have four children together, daughters Mairead, Siobhan, Ciara and son Patrick Junior.

Jennings was due to watch Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs try to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign from the stands as ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino returned to his old side for the first time with Chelsea.

The pulsating London derby topped the list for drama and controversy with Spurs receiving two red cards, while there were five disallowed goals and a whole new string of VAR debates.

Spurs were reduced to nine men in the 55th minute but bravely held out until 75 minutes when Nicolas Jackson made it 2-1.

Their high line, which Postecoglou vowed to keep using even if he only had five players, was exposed two more times in the dying stages as Nicolas Jackson made them pay and sealed his hat-trick.