Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba posts photo on Twitter

Fabrice Muamba poses for a photograph in the London Chest Hospital in east London (Reuters)

Fabrice Muamba has posted a picture of himself on his Twitter feed and thanked fans for their support.

The image (above), which shows the Bolton midfielder sitting up and smiling, is the first image of Muamba since his cardiac arrest on the pitch at White Hart Lane.

The picture was posted on the 23-year-old's behalf, and ran with the message: ""Fab wanted me to post this pic for you all and to also say thank you for such overwhelming support."

The picture is the latest positive signal concerning the condition of the former England under-21 international, who collapsed during Bolton's FA Cup match with Tottenham on 17 March.

During the final minutes of the first half of the quarter-final match, Muamba suddenly collapsed, with no others players near him, as he suffered a cardiac arrest. Medics acted quickly to try and start his heart again before he was carried off on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask.

After six minutes of treatment, he was taken to the London Chest Hospital in Bethnal Green, east London. The televised match was abandoned.

It later emerged the the Zaire born midfielder was "effectively dead" for 78 minutes.

There have been tributes across the football world, with teams in England and on the continent wearing 'Pray for Fabrice' t-shirts. A host of stars have also visited the former Arsenal player in hospital, including Thierry Henry.

There was a minutes applause before Bolton's re-scheduled FA Cup tie at White Hart Lane on Tuesday this week, which the Trotters lost 3-1.