John Barnes has revealed he has had his prostate removed after being diagnosed with cancer.
The former Liverpool and England forward revealed he only found out after his children pushed for him to get checked.
‘Men have to then bite the bullet and swallow their pride and admit if they have problems and say it,’ the 62-year-old told Jane and Fi on Times Radio. ‘So it’s a good thing that that has come out.
‘I’m fine. I have my PSA and everything is OK. The thing about it is that a lot of men don’t want to admit it or want to have it done because it makes them feel less than a man.
‘But you’re not, you’re exactly the same, you’re the same person and you’re around and that’s the main thing.’
Barnes’ diagnosis is revealed on the same day fellow Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish revealed he has cancer.
The 75-year-old accidentally shared his condition in a now-deleted social media post before admitting that he would have preferred to keep his diagnosis private.
He then clarified: ‘As my inadvertent social media post has indicated, I am currently undergoing treatment for cancer. Unlike my mobile phone use, the treatment is going well.
‘Ideally, this would have remained private because that’s the way it should be, but my useless technology skills have forced my hand.
‘Obviously I did not mean to make this matter public so I would appreciate it if the privacy of my family and myself are respected.
‘As ever, thank you to the wonderful medical staff who have shown incredible care and discretion, not just for me but for many, many others. They are a credit to themselves.’
More to follow.
