Glenavon manager Stephen McDonnell gets a kick out of new CPR training tool

Ex-player forced out of game by heart condition backs campaign

From left, IFL head of communications Neil Coleman, Glenavon FC manager Stephen McDonnell and BHF Northern Ireland head Fearghal McKinney

McDonnell managing Glenavon (Alan Weir/Pacemaker Press)

Glenavon FC manager Stephen McDonnell is promoting a new CPR tool that will teach life-saving skills to more than 1,500 Irish League footballers and coaches this month.

The Lurgan Blues boss was forced to retire from his playing career aged just 22 because of a heart condition that was spotted during his time with the Celtic youth team.

Now, the 31-year-old is encouraging Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) players and supporters to pick up CPR training for Heart Month, which runs throughout February.

The NIFL teamed up with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to launch the free online CPR training tool, named RevivR.

There are more than 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in Northern Ireland.

The BHF said that with fewer than one in 10 people surviving in these cases, it was determined to improve the statistic by giving members of the public the opportunity to learn CPR.

McDonnell managing Glenavon (Alan Weir/Pacemaker Press)

Glenavon was the first club to receive RevivR training this week, but the BHF will be working with all 38 men’s and 10 women’s sides in the league.

Mr McDonnell said the training could save lives.

He added: “I was obviously very young when I retired, and to have CPR training back then was probably out of the norm.

“It’s not until it darkens your door that you think about this.

“People are afraid to go and get a check-up in the doctor’s, and [there can be] a slight arrogance that if you’re fit and well, you don’t need to seek this