A FOOTBALL fan turned lifesaver after giving vital treatment to a man who had collapsed at Scotland’s biggest club match.

David McManus was only attending the Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park earlier this month because his son, also David, a Celtic season ticket holder, was unable to make the game.

However, just as the match was kicking off in Glasgow, David, who was previously a firefighter in Haddington, was called into action.

David, of the town’s Burnside, had not long taken his seat in the North Stand before the match on September 10.

The father-of-three was sitting in Row S and heard a woman screaming from just a few rows behind him.

He made his way to the row and joined another man in trying to help save the man, who is thought to be in his 60s and had collapsed.

David, who works as a supervisor at East Saltoun Primary School, told the Courier he had been in the fire service for 26 years and had recently finished his first aid certificate at the county school.

He said: “I checked for breathing and checked for a pulse. There was a very weak pulse and I said we should wait for the paramedics.

“I then thought he was not looking very good and I opened his jacket, lifted his jersey and opened his shirt.

“I looked along to see if he was breathing and there was no movement whatsoever and he seemed to be gasping for air.

“I commenced CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and did it for eight minutes until the first aiders arrived and then the paramedic arrived.”

David then helped load the man onto a stretcher before returning to his seat to watch the game, with Celtic winning 5-1 in their first league match with Rangers for more than four years.

David admitted he was a bit shaken up by the incident and contemplated just going home but decided to stick around for the rest of the game.

He said: “The game was just kicking off when it happened.

“Apart from my section, everybody was shouting and cheering.

“It was quite surreal – I was trying to save a life and 58,500 people had no idea what was going on.”

Since the incident, Celtic have managed to get in touch with David to offer him their thanks.

He added: “The crowd was patting me on the back and I thought nothing more of it until I got a phone call from Celtic last Thursday.

“They said they had reviewed the CCTV footage and wanted to thank me personally.

“From their perspective, I did everything right.

“The police came and got a statement at the game and the paramedic made sure he came back and shook my hand and thanked me very much for doing what I did.

“Celtic reviewed the CCTV and want to thank me by inviting myself and David to a match of our choice.

“There will be hospitality and the chance to meet the directors and the players. It sounds as if it is going to be a lovely time.

“I’m just gobsmacked – I just did what I had to do and thankfully the chap looks like he is going to make a full recovery.”

A police spokeswoman confirmed a man, thought to be in his 60s, had taken unwell and was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.