Hull City defender Angus MacDonald has vowed to fight his new challenge “head on” after being diagnosed with the early stages of bowel cancer.

MacDonald was sidelined for almost all of the 2018/19 season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in November 2018.

The centre-half started his career with Reading and joined Hull from Barnsley in January 2018, and he has made 15 appearances for the club.

MacDonald took to social media to write a heart-felt Instagram message to his followers, which read: “This is not an easy post to write but life isn’t always an easy road to navigate.

Angus MacDonald signed for Hull in January 2018Getty Images

“The news broke today from my club that I have been diagnosed with Bowel Cancer.

“After a year on the sidelines and recently getting back into full training, returning to the pitch felt closer than ever, so this news has come as a complete shock and is hard to take and fully process.

“However, I’m blessed to have fantastic family and friends and some very good people around me to help me get through this, as well as amazing team mates and staff at the club who have been with me all the way through the past year.

In a statement released by the Championship club on Wednesday, it details that the 26-year-old’s “physical and mental well-being are our number one priority at this moment in time”.

Olivier Giroud is put under pressure by MacDonald during an FA Cup match in 2018Getty Images

“Angus has shown great strength of character in the way he has reacted to this news,” they said in a statement.

“The whole Tigers family join together in showing Angus continued love and will support him in his recovery.”

MacDonald previously suffered from a blood clot on the lung at the age of 15, but made a full recovery.

The player’s girlfriend is English singer, songwriter and actress Alexandra Burke, and he had put on a lavish 31st birthday party for her only last week.

Source – Eurosport