Bolton Wanderers midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker admits returning to Tottenham for their FA Cup tie did affect him.

Reo-Coker was one of the closest players to Fabrice Muamba as he received life-saving treatment from medical staff on that fateful day.

And the Wanderers skipper admits returning to the scene of the most harrowing experience of his career was deeply emotional.

Reo-Coker said: "As I arrived at the ground, I did have a tingle down my spine. When I came on the pitch before the game, I had to walk over to the area where the incident occurred, just for my own benefit.

"All those bad memories came flooding back - you could call it flashbacks. That's why I had to walk over to the spot before the game to get it out of my system.

"Speaking to the club doctor, even he said he felt weird. It was a day of very mixed emotions and I will never in my life be able to sum up in words the emotions I went through.

"I can't tell you how long it will take for people to totally get over their reaction to what happened. It might take years for people to get over it."

He added: "The last 10 days have felt like years to us. It's felt like such a long period of time. But from where we were last Saturday, to where we and Fabrice are now - all we can do is thank God.

"The fighting spirit he's shown is something we've got to take on ourselves for the rest of the season."