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United midfielder “lucky to be playing”

65471Darren Fletcher insisted that he is lucky to be playing football again, after a chronic bowel disease looked to have ended his career, forcing the Scotland international to miss almost two seasons as he sought to overcome his condition.

Having been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2011, Fletcher underwent surgery in January 2013 but, despite receiving treatment, his return was far from a certainty and the man who had emerged as a pivotal figure for United over the 2008-09 season was restricted to a mere 20 appearances in two seasons.

However, having fully recovered from his condition, Fletcher has returned to the United squad this season and while he’s looked understandably rusty at times, having him back is fantastic for the club, not to mention it speaks volume for the sheer willpower and determination of the man.

“You can be running to the toilet 10, 20, 30 times a day and losing a lot of blood,” Fletcher told the BBC.

“I ended up in hospital a couple of times on an IV drip. Surgery enabled me to be here today. I’m very fortunate.

“The surgery was a success, I’m better now – I’m living a normal life and back playing football,” continued the United midfielder.

“I can’t have any relapses now. I’m not going to have episodes where I get extremely ill, get taken to hospital or have a breakdown at any moment. I’ve got a routine that I stick to and it’s working fine.

“There are no guarantees with surgery but it has enabled me to be back playing for Manchester United and feeling great.”

Fletcher also admitted that he didn’t disclose to his team-mates the full extent of his condition.

“I found it difficult, making up stories for reasons why I wasn’t at training, why I was looking ill, why I was feeling ill, why I was rushing off to the bathroom. Basically lying to people’s faces. Once I started talking about it and making it public knowledge it was such a relief; it was the best thing I did.”