Says LEE GASKELL

LEE GASKELL admits he feels for anyone who suffers from panic attacks, after facing his own trauma.

The Huddersfield star, 26, was pulled out of a game last month after suffering suspected heart problems in the warm-up.

It was later discovered it wasn’t a heart issue but a panic attack brought on by stress following a death in his family.

And Gaskell says it’s made him far more understanding of other anxiety sufferers.

Worse

He said: “It was pretty scary because I didn’t understand what was happening.

“If anyone ever goes through one, I’ve got every sympathy for them now. The more you panic, the worse it gets.

“It was a shock when it started happening but I’ve had tests and, thankfully, it’s nothing too serious.”

The stress was on a different scale to anything Gaskell had ever felt before – but he admits he still vividly remembers the panic he had in his early career.

Gaskell was still a teenager when he made his Super ® League debut for St Helens, who are Huddersfield’s opponents tonight.

Having grown up in St Helens – where he still lives – Gaskell admits he was in awe of stars including Keiron Cunningham, who is now Saints’ coach.

He said: “Keiron was still playing then and I’d grown up watching people like him, James Graham and Paul Wellens.

“Suddenly I was in the changing room with them but I was a young lad coming through who was nervous every day. “It was pretty daunting.” Gaskell played almost 50 games for Saints over four years and said: “Playing one game for your hometown club is a bonus, never mind so many.”

The half-back left Saints in 2014 to get more game time with Bradford and is loving being back in Super League, even though Giants are struggling.

They desperately need a win after losing four and drawing one of their last five games to leave them in 10th.

Gaskell said: “We don’t want to be fighting for our lives at the back end of the season.”