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Petrov has Acute Leukaemia


The Fish
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Shocking news, and obviously hope he comes through it ok

 

Always thought he was a decent Premiership player and scored some belters.

 

Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia , the West Midlands club have announced.

 

 

WHAT IS LEUKAEMIA?

 

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Symptoms include pale skin, tiredness, breathlessness and susceptibility to infection. Acute leukaemia means that the condition progresses rapidly and aggressively and requires immediate treatment

The condition was diagnosed following tests after the Bulgaria international, 32, developed a fever following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal.

"We expect to learn more about the situation in due course," Villa said.

"Stiliyan is cherished by many and he will get from Villa every ounce of love and support that we have to help bring this to a positive conclusion."

A club statement added: "During this time we ask that Stiliyan's privacy is placed ahead of all inquiries and trust that we will share information as we receive it."

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Watch Petrov score against Everton (Pictures courtesy of the Premier League)

Petrov joined Villa from Celtic for £6.5m in 2006 and has scored 12 goals in 219 appearances.

He played the full 90 minutes at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, his 30th game of the season.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon, a friend and former team-mate of Petrov, said: "We are all absolutely devastated to hear this news.

"As a member of the Celtic family, it is important for Stiliyan to know that he has our unequivocal support in battling against this disease.

"Knowing Stiliyan as I do, and the many obstacles he has overcome in his life to get to the peak of his career, he will overcome this one too.

"On behalf of the players and the backroom staff we send our support and best wishes to Stiliyan, Paulina and the family.

 

STILIYAN PETROV

  • Signed for Aston Villa in August 2006 in a £6.5m move from Celtic, becoming then-boss Martin O'Neill's first buy at the club.
  • Has since made 219 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals.
  • Made captain in the 2009-10 campaign, leading the team out at Wembley twice.
  • During his time at Parkhead he made 288 appearances, scoring 64 goals, winning four Scottish titles.
  • Has won more than 100 caps for Bulgaria.

"We are there for them all and they will never walk alone."

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell added: "This is terrible news and our support and prayers go to Stiliyan, Paulina and their family at this very difficult time.

"Stiliyan was an exceptional player for Celtic and helped to bring incredible success here during the seven years he spent at the club.

"He was also one of the most popular players here, not only within the club but with all our supporters and I know that they, too will want to pass on their support and best wishes to Stiliyan and his family."

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor told BBC Sport: "It's just terrible news about Stiliyan Petrov. I was only at a meeting with him earlier this season. He's a great lad and a great person.

"I've just written to him offering our support and help. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. We've got our fingers crossed he'll pull through."

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Didn't see the thing in the Generic thread.

 

Mind, I had a look at their fixtures and they could very well get dragged into the mire, next four fixtures could very well return zero points.

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Scary stuff and I hope it's treatable. Thank goodness there are people dedicating their lives to keeping us well.

apparently Gary Lineker's kid (George) came through it ok

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  • 1 year later...

Announced his retirement from football today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22464215

Best of luck to him with his future plans.

Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov has retired from football as he continues his fight against acute leukaemia.

 

The Bulgarian midfielder, 33, was diagnosed with the condition in March 2012 but is now in remission.

 

"It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my retirement," he said.

 

"The emotions are overwhelming, but the continued support of family, friends and the great people I have come to know will make it easier for me to move on from the only life I've ever known."

 

Petrov, who also played for CSKA Sofia, joined Villa in 2006 from Celtic for £6.5m, having spent seven seasons in Scotland.

 

He made 218 appearances for Villa in all competitions and earned 92 caps for Bulgaria, but will now focus on setting up a foundation to help leukaemia sufferers.

 

He said in a statement on Aston Villa's official website: "That I am ready to embrace new challenges will make this process much easier.

 

"I remember when I was a young player at CSKA Sofia and the good life was all I was interested in. Celtic came in for me and I moved to Glasgow, to another country, to a new world. I didn't speak the language and I thought it would never happen for me. I knew nobody.

 

"Fortunately, I met people who helped me to turn my life around. I came to know great team-mates who showed me the proper way, the way I had to be if I was going to be a serious professional and compete at a high level.

 

"I came to appreciate so much the opportunity to work with that level of professional people because it made me something like them. At Celtic Football Club and at Aston Villa Football Club I was privileged to live a life competing at a high level and playing the game I love, supported by the most passionate fans."

 

It was revealed in August that Petrov was in remission after four months of chemotherapy. He said he would be "on the softer treatment, which is two years on tablets" and last month said he felt lucky to be alive.

 

The condition was diagnosed after he developed a fever following a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal in March 2012.

 

"Then something crazy happened, something I thought was just a cold but turned out to be something more serious, something life-changing," he said.

 

"I played 90 minutes for Villa against Arsenal at the Emirates and I felt fatigued, not myself at all. But I thought it was nothing serious. The diagnosis was a complete shock.

 

"Since being diagnosed with acute leukaemia, I have come to understand and appreciate the way in which this disease impacts the lives of so many people.

 

"I can help and I want to help and, in setting up a foundation to help address the issues involved when people are diagnosed with this illness, I hope to make a difference.

 

"For the life I've lived in football, I will always be incredibly grateful. For the opportunity this crazy thing that happened in my life has given me, I also feel grateful in a strange kind of way.

 

"This crazy thing, somehow, has touched people and I want to try to channel this in a positive way. This will be the greatest challenge of my life."

 

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I read that the Villa fans applaud at 19 (his shirt number) minutes every game.

 

That's a really lovely thing to do.

Aye, think I read somewhere that Man U fans were planning to do the same for Sir Alex every game in the 97th minute.

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Aye, think I read somewhere that Man U fans were planning to do the same for Sir Alex every game in the 97th minute.

:lol:

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