They say every cloud has a silver lining, and few grasp that more than West Ham legend Tony Cottee.
Back in 2019, the former striker endured a harrowing health scare when he suffered a brain haemorrhage while staying in a London hotel – an incident that could have ended tragically if not for the quick thinking of his former Sky Sports colleague, Phil Thompson.
Without warning, an excruciating pain began tearing through his forehead and neck as he lay in bed, swiftly followed by intense nausea. In distress, Cottee phoned Thompson, who was staying at the same hotel.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Liverpool icon rushed to the front desk to summon medical help – a decision that may have saved Cottee’s life. He was swiftly taken to the hospital, where scans confirmed a brain bleed. Fortunately, the haemorrhage was relatively minor, meaning emergency surgery wasn’t necessary.
Despite the fear and uncertainty of the ordeal, Cottee views it as more than just a near-death experience – it was a reality check that reshaped his outlook on life. “I was very very fortunate,” he told the Mirror.
“After that experience, I very much wanted to live my life. I want to go on holiday. I want to be with my wife and my kids and everything as much as possible. I want to spend my money. What’s the point of dying and having loads of money?”
Cottee’s renewed outlook on life was further solidified in the most devastating way when his younger brother, Paul, sadly passed away last November after suffering a cardiac arrest at just 56-years-old. “[Paul’s death] has emphasised even more what I was thinking after my brain haemorrhage, that it’s a precious life,” Cottee reflected. “Paul died and [there was] nothing he could do about it. He was only 56, I’m 59.”
(Image: Professional Sport/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
He continued: “You’re not here for that long and you’ve really got to enjoy yourself and make the most of it. I think I’m 60 this year, big year for me, and I’m already planning all the holidays and we’re going here and doing that.
“You just hope, God willing, if you get there and you’re able to enjoy it. But if you have a major event like I did in 2019, it does change your perspective on life.”
His health scare not only altered his perspective on life but also deepened his appreciation for friendship and the importance of leaning on others in difficult times. “I’m old school,” he admitted.
(Image: Instagram/tony_cottee)
“I was brought up in an era where if you cut your leg, put some Vaseline on it and carry on. You don’t go to the hospital. You carry on. The hard old-school type of thing.”
Following six weeks of rest after the haemorrhage, Cottee returned to Sky Sports. And the very first thing he did was track down Thompson to give him a hug.
“The first person I saw was Thommo, I gave him the biggest cuddle. It was an emotional moment – and I never thought I’d say that after hugging Phil Thompson,” Cottee told the Daily Mail in 2019.
“I will forever be thankful to him, he was there when I needed him. If I’d stayed in bed all day and tried to ride through it, without that doctor coming, who knows what would have happened.”
Throughout his 19-year football career, Cottee netted over 300 times, 146 of which were scored in a West Ham shirt. He had two stints at Upton Park, and also played for Everton, Leicester City, Barnet and Millwall.
After retiring from the game in 2001, he transitioned into broadcasting, eventually becoming a familiar face on Soccer Saturday, where he worked alongside Thompson, Jeff Stelling, Chris Kamara and fellow ex-Hammer Paul Merson.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
