UNITED KID’S CANCER FIGHT
JACKIE McNamara last night sent out a message of support to Jordan Moore after the Dundee United starlet revealed that he has been s uff eri ng from skin cancer.
The 20- year- old f orward announced the news on his Twitter account l ate on Wednesday, saying: ‘Few folks asking why I haven’t been playing recently. Been fighting melanoma skin cancer past few months! Hopefully be back soon all going well.’
Moore had been sent on loan to League One Dunfermline this season and has scored eight goals in 20 matches, but has not played for two months.
His last game for Jim
“We’re giving him all the help we can”
Jefferies’ si de was a 4- 0 Scottish Cup defeat against Rangers at Ibrox on February 7, with an explanation for his subsequent absence only now coming into the public domain.
Yesterday, McNamara took time out from his preparations for tomorrow’s Scottish Cup semi- final against Ally McCoist’s side to stress that the player had the full support of everyone at Tannadice.
‘I’m surprised it has managed to stay out of the public eye for a while now because it has been rumbling on for a few months,’ said the United manager.
‘He had some surgery last month and they are j ust making sure that everything is OK. There were some little bits they have had to do and it has been a scare.
‘We are hopeful he has come through it all and there is some good news ahead for him.
‘I think it is such a worrying thing with him being so young. It has given us all a massive fright but we are all sticking together and making sure that the lad is going to get well.
‘We are giving him all the support and help we can to make sure that he is OK.
‘He has been doing a bit of training with us but, because of the surgery, there has only been so much he can do.
‘He was alert (to the cancer) and that has been important. It is a message for others to act if something isn’t right, whatever age you are.’
It is believed that Moore has undergone surgery to remove a cancerous cyst in his cheek.
He has subsequently been advised by doctors not to take part in competitive football until the wound has f ully healed.
Dundee United director Derek Robertson added: ‘The club has been kept fully aware of Jordan’s circumstances and is providing every possible support to him and his family at this time and will continue to do so going forward.’
Moore joined the Tannadice outfit as an Under-14s player and has developed into an out-and- out striker, scoring 30 goals for the Under-17s’ team in the 2010-11 season.
He has also played a number of times for United’s Under-19s side and scored in a Youth Cup tie at Ibrox against Rangers.
He spent part of last season on loan at Airdrie and there are high hopes within Tannadice that the Glasgowborn player can follow the trail blazed by youthful contemporaries Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Gauld and John Souttar into McNamara’s first team.