Liam’s fortunes turned

STANLEY midfielder Liam Gibson was overwhelmed to make his debut for the club on Saturday – as it came just one year after he was in a hospital bed believing he would never play football again.

Gibson was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, when he was 17. The illness led to him also having to cope with deep vein thrombosis, but he battled back to be fit for the 2016/17 season.

Despite a brief recovery, his health deteriorated again and specialists told him that his bowel needed an operation – which at the time was billed as life or death.

The 21-year-old had to have four operations and didn’t know if he would ever play football again, so he admits it was a special moment to line up for the Reds against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

“If you had said to me a year ago that I would be playing in League One, starting a game, I probably would have laughed at you and it shows how far I have come, I am buzzing,” Gibson told the club’s official website.

“My family were here and they will be buzzing about me playing. Everyone at Newcastle, the doctor, the physios I would like to say thank you for getting me back.

“I never actually thought I would play again when I was sitting in the hospital bed so now I am back, it’s unreal, it’s weird.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t get the three points but a point is a point and it will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season.

“There is a sense of frustration as everyone wants to win but it’s a clean sheet which is great on my debut and all the lads have chipped in with that as well. I think everyone is happy enough.”

Boss John Coleman said: “Liam’s a lad we’ve been tracking for quite a while. He’s a good player and he obviously knows a couple of our players as well so that helps with his settling in.”