In an awful run of news, English football icon John Barnes has revealed he also has cancer. It comes around the same time that two other Liverpool legends, Sir Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan, also shared that they had the disease.
Barnes played fot Watford, Liverpool, Newcastle United and then Charlton Athletic in the 1980s and 1990s, winning two league titles at Anfield. He also got his hands on the FA Cup twice and the League Cup during his time with the Reds. Adding to that, he earned 79 senior caps for the England national team between 1983 and 1995, scoring 10 goals.
The former winger has now revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after his kids forced him to get checked.
John Barnes Opens Up on Cancer Diagnosis
John Barnes
Speaking on Times Radio, he explained that the topic can feel taboo as men believe it makes them “less than a man." Going into more detail, he explained that he has prostate cancer, noting:
“Men have to then bite the bullet and swallow their pride and admit if they have problems and say it. So it’s a good thing that that has come out.
“I’m fine. I have my PSA and everything is okay. 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.”
The news comes after Liverpool legend Keegan revealed his cancer diagnosis at the start of the year. His family revealed the former England striker and manager was admitted to hospital after experiencing abdominal symptoms and has since started treatment.
While Dalglish has also revealed he is receiving treatment for cancer. In a statement, he said:
“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.”