Former Chelsea captain and assistant manager Ray Wilkins in induced coma after heart attack and fall

Ray “Butch” Wilkins, who captained Chelsea to promotion in 1977 and was Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant coach when Chelsea won the Double in 2010, is critically ill after suffering a heart attack and a fall at his Cobham, Surrey home on Wednesday. He’s been placed in an induced coma at St. George’s Hospital in South London, a top trauma center. Wilkins had double heart-bypass surgery last summer and is scheduled to have a scan on Tuesday to assess his progress.

His wife, Jackie, told The Mirror she’s worried about the prognosis.

“He’s in hospital, he’s had a cardiac arrest and is in intensive care. He is not in a good state at all, I’m afraid. He’s critically ill. The cardiac arrest led to a fall which has meant he’s had to be put in an induced coma.

”It’s very, very bad.”

GETTY images

An old-fashioned ball-control midfielder, 18 year-old “Butch” Wilkins was named Chelsea captain by Eddie McCreadie in 1975, after the club had been relegated and saw an exodus of veteran players. McCreadie spent a season rebuilding with young players, and then Wilkins helped lead us back into the First Division in 1976-77. He was sold two seasons later, after a falling out between McCreadie and the club chairman led to another demotion. Wilkins went on to earn 84 caps for England.

All of us here at WAGNH join the rest of the football community in sending our love and support and our very best wishes for a complete recovery.

Get well, Ray.