Larger-than-life Barry Fry has West Ham United chairman David Gold to thank for making a speedy recovery from serious illness!

Fry was taken very ill whilst attending the Football League Chairmen's Conference in Portugal with a serious kidney infection.

So alarmed was Gillingham chairman Paul Scally for the Peterborough United Director of Football that he contacted their mutual friend Gold asking for help.

And the boss of Ann Summers didn't hesitate in rushing his private jet out to Faro Airport where Fry was airlifted home and taken straight to hospital.

Barry Fry said: "I will be forever grateful to David. It was a tremendous thing to do. I thought I was going to die and needed help fast and he was there for me. I worked as DG's manager at Birmingham City and know him to be a wonderfully kind-hearted man but that was a magnificent gesture. I was in an awful lot of trouble with what was a severe and painful kidney infection and he was there for me."

David Gold said: "Barry is a very good friend of mine and I was pleased I was in a position to help. My jet was airborne within minutes of getting the call.

"I have been in the same position - feeling ill abroad and the only place you want to be is back home fast. I was just glad I could help and delighted he's now made a full recovery. He's promised to buy me dinner but then again he's been promising to do that for years!."