Leicester defender Clive Clarke said that he feels lucky to be alive after collapsing at half-time during a game at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Clarke, 27, was admitted to hospital after collapsing during the interval of the Carling Cup tie.
"I know I am extremely fortunate to be here," said Clarke.
"In the light of recent events involving footballers who have suffered heart attacks, I am the real lucky one, because I have survived."
The match at the City Ground was abandoned and will now be played on Tuesday 18 September.
Clarke's agent Gary Mellor said the player was treated with a defibrillator in the dressing-room.
Clarke, on loan at Leicester from Sunderland, had regained consciousness by the time he was taken to the nearby Queens Medical Centre in an ambulance.
And Clarke added: "I remember feeling a bit lethargic on the field in the first half, and I was involved in a collision with our goalkeeper Paul Henderson, which led to their goal.
"I sat quietly in a corner of the dressing room and felt a bit queasy. I can recall Patrick Kisnorbo talking to me, but it wasn't really registering. Then I just passed out.
"When I was told what had happened, the blood drained from my body. I just thought I could have been dead, and that I might never have seen my family again.
"When you think about Sevilla player Antonio Puerta (who collapsed last Saturday and died on Tuesday), it goes without saying that a day won't pass when I don't cherish every moment in my life."
I'm lucky to be here, says Clarke
Arsenal to host Newcastle in cup
Last year's beaten finalists Arsenal entertain Newcastle in the third round of the Carling Cup.
The other all Premier League ties are Birmingham at Blackburn, Tottenham hosting Middlesbrough, Liverpool at Reading and Fulham hosting Bolton.
Holders Chelsea travel to Hull, who beat Wigan in the previous round.
League Two Morecambe have a trip to Sheffield United as reward for their previous victories over Championship sides Preston and Wolves.
Manchester United are at home to Championship high-flyers Coventry, while West Ham also face opposition from the second tier of English football with a home tie against Plymouth Argyle.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has stated the importance of cup competitions to his Manchester City's season and his team entertain Norwich.
The only second-round tie yet to be completed is Nottingham's Forest match with Leicester.
Their match on Tuesday was abandoned after Leicester's Clive Clarke suffered a heart attack at half-time.
The tie will be replayed on 18 September and the winners will travel to Aston Villa.
Third round draw in full:
Blackburn v Birmingham
Reading v Liverpool
Manchester United v Coventry
Tottenham v Middlesbrough
Hull v Chelsea
Blackpool v Southend
West Ham v Plymouth
Arsenal v Newcastle
Luton v Charlton
Manchester City v Norwich
Sheffield United v Morecambe
Sheffield Wednesday v Everton
Fulham v Bolton
Burnley v Portsmouth
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest or Leicester
West Brom v Cardiff
Ties to be played week commencing 24 September.
Bristol City: Weale, Orr (Jevons 86), Carey, Fontaine, McAllister, McIndoe, Johnson, Elliott, Brian Wilson (Sproule 52), Murray, Trundle.
Michael Owen scored his first goal of the season to help Newcastle see off Barnsley in the Carling Cup.
The England striker ended a 20-month wait since his last competitive goal for his club when he met Shola Ameobi's pass and fired home.
Barnsley were second-best throughout and Nicky Butt and Ameobi both had chances to extend Newcastle's lead.
Obafemi Martins came on for Owen with seven minutes left and sealed victory with an acrobatic volley.
Newcastle: Given, Jose Enrique, Cacapa, Taylor, N'Zogbia, Solano, Geremi, Smith (Edgar 87), Emre (Butt 51), Owen (Martins 83), Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Huntington.
Booked: Smith.
Goals: Owen 57, Martins 86.
Barnsley: Muller, Werling, Souza, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Ricketts, McCann, Mostto (Christensen 76), Togwell, Devaney (Butterfield 87), Mattis (Coulson 83).
Subs Not Used: Colgan, Atkinson.
Booked: Devaney, Werling.
Att: 30,523
Ref: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).
Bristol City 1-2 Man City
Rolando Bianchi scored a superb winner to book Manchester City's place in the third round of the Carling Cup.
The visitors, who made eight changes from Saturday's defeat at Arsenal, were well on top in the early stages.
Emile Mpenza put the Blues ahead with a powerful finish and Bianchi saw another goalbound effort deflected over.
Bristol City were much improved after the break and Bradley Orr levelled from close range before Bianchi drilled home from the edge of the box to settle it.
Bristol City: Weale, Orr (Jevons 86), Carey, Fontaine, McAllister, McIndoe, Johnson, Elliott, Brian Wilson (Sproule 52), Murray, Trundle.
Subs Not Used: Basso, Skuse, Vasko.
Goals: Orr 69.
Man City: Hart, Jihai, Corluka, Onuoha, Ball, Logan, Ireland, Gelson, Geovanni (Dabo 82), Mpenza, Bianchi (Dickov 89).
Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Mills, Laird.
Goals: Mpenza 17, Bianchi 81.
Att: 14,541
Ref: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire).
Middlesbrough 2-0 Northampton
Middlesbrough had to work hard to beat Northampton and claim a place in the third round of the Carling Cup.
Town went close when Ian Henderson hit the post with a diving header after Brad Johnson's shot was saved and Alex Dyer also went close for the Cobblers.
But Boro took the lead through Fabio Rochemback's superb 35-yard free-kick and then hit the bar through Seb Hines.
Northampton kept pushing forward but Dong Gook Lee's drove home a second goal before Mido hit the bar late on.
Middlesbrough: Jones, Young (Boateng 73), Davies (Hines 36), Wheater, Taylor, Johnson, Cattermole, Rochemback, Downing (Mido 70), Lee, Sanli.
Subs Not Used: Schwarzer, Craddock.
Goals: Rochemback 53, Lee 66.
Northampton: Bunn, Crowe, Hughes, Doig, Jones, Dyer (Brett Johnson 80), Bradley Johnson, Burnell (Aiston 66), Holt (Larkin 67), Hubertz, Henderson.
Subs Not Used: Dunn, Kirk.
Booked: Jones.
Att: 11,686
Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Aborted cup tie security defended
Nottingham Forest and the police have defended security arrangements after isolated fights at the Carling Cup match against Leicester City.
The City Ground tie was abandoned after Leicester City defender Clive Clarke suffered heart failure at half-time.
Some fans said they did not understand why the game had been stopped.
The police defended their decision not to hold fans back in the ground, saying it would have been more dangerous to have kept them penned in.
Ch Insp Steve Haylett, who was in charge of policing the game, said: "There were plans in place to keep the supporters separate but we don't hold supporters back in the ground.
"That has proved dangerous in the past because supporters don't like being kept in confined areas for that length of time."
And in a statement Nottingham Forest said there was an isolated incident inside the City Ground itself, which was "dealt with swiftly and effectively by the police and our security personnel".
Clarke 'improving' after collapse
Leicester City chairman Milan Mandaric says defender Clive Clarke is making a good recovery after collapsing at half-time during a game on Tuesday.
Clarke, 27, was taken ill during the interval of their Carling Cup tie at Nottingham Forest and spent Tuesday evening "stable" in hospital.
Mandaric said: "Encouragingly, Clive is improving and he's quite comfortable. It's important he just gets better."
The game was abandoned and it will now take place on Tuesday 18 September.
Forest were leading 1-0 at half-time through Junior Agogo, but both clubs decided to call the game off after Clarke was taken ill.
Clarke's agent Gary Mellor said the player was treated with a defibrillator in the dressing-room.
Clarke had regained consciousness by the time he was taken to the nearby Queens Medical Centre in an ambulance.
Mandaric added: "It's a sad thing when you see a young man collapsing and getting down on the floor.
"It wasn't something that anyone can accept easily but I think the most important thing now is that he gets out of hospital and gets on with his football."
Foxes boss Martin Allen paid tribute to their medical staff for their quick treatment of Clarke at the City Ground.
"I must say head physio Dave Rennie and sports scientist Damien Doyle were absolutely outstanding in coping and dealing with what was a traumatic and difficult situation," said Allen.
"We are lucky both members of staff were on hand at such a difficult and testing time."
Clarke's agent Mellor told BBC Radio Stoke he did not know when the left-back would be released from hospital.
"Clive is sitting up and talking and he is going to have more tests at the hospital on Wednesday afternoon," said Mellor.
"They won't give us any idea as to when he will be released. They don't want to tell us anymore until they know exactly what happened.
"It appears Clive's heart stopped twice and mouth-to-mouth didn't work so the paramedics had to use a defibrillator.
"His family are very upset, especially after what happened with the Sevilla player Antonio Puerta dying recently. We just hope he's going to be OK."
Leicester chief executive Tim Davies said all the club's thoughts were with the Republic of Ireland international and he also paid tribute to Forest.
"When Clive went into the dressing-room he collapsed and was very seriously ill," said Davies.
"This is the first time we are aware of anything happening to Clive. He was taken away in an ambulance to hospital and he did offer a few words in the ambulance.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Clive and his family, we hope he makes a speedy recovery.
"I would like to say a big thank you to Nottingham Forest for dealing with the matter so fast and to [manager] Colin Calderwood, [chief executive] Mark Arthur and [chairman] Nigel Doughty for calling off the match so quickly.
"We want to apologise to the fans who came here but I am sure they understand sometimes serious injuries are more important."
Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn and manager Roy Keane also sent their best wishes to Clarke.
"The Leicester and Forest officials reacted magnificently in the circumstances," said Quinn.
"Our thoughts and prayers are still very much with Clive and his family and we wish him a speedy recovery."
Keane added: "He's one of our players and fingers crossed, please God, he'll be OK. We wish him well."
Clarke collapse ends Forest tie
Nottingham Forest's Carling Cup tie at home to Leicester was abandoned at half-time after Foxes defender Clive Clarke collapsed in the dressing room.
Paramedics rushed down the tunnel to attend to the 27-year-old shortly after the half-time whistle.
"Clive was very seriously ill," said Leicester chief executive Tim Davies.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Clive and his family." Clarke was in a stable condition in a cardiac unit at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.
Davies added: "I would like to say a big thank you to Nottingham Forest for dealing with the matter so fast."
Forest were leading the Carling Cup tie 1-0 at half-time thanks to Junior Agogo's goal.
However, after a delay of 15 minutes, Forest boss Colin Calderwood and Leicester manager Martin Allen emerged from the tunnel to announce to the crowd that the game had been abandoned.
Calderwood said: "We are afraid that due to the serious illness of a Leicester player both clubs have agreed to postpone the match."
Forest chief executive Mark Arthur said later: "I think football is secondary to human issues.
"As soon as we found out the serious nature of Clive's situation, we went straight to the referee and said we would do whatever is right by Leicester.
"Obviously, they are going through great trauma at the moment and we very quickly agreed between the three parties that the game should be abandoned."
