Sir Kenny Dalglish thanks medical staff after revealing cancer diagnosis

Sir Kenny Dalglish has revealed he is undergoing treatment for cancer.

The 75-year-old former Scotland, Celtic and Liverpool great was moved to issue a statement after mistakenly posting on social media.

“As my inadvertent social media post has indicated, I am currently undergoing treatment for cancer,” said Dalglish.

“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.”

Dalglish’s former club Liverpool, for whom he played and managed, sent their “support, best wishes and love”.

Dalglish’s wife Marina was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2003 but recovered after receiving treatment at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool and later founded the Marina Dalglish Appeal, of which Kenny was a huge supporter, to fund new cancer treatment equipment for UK hospitals for which she later received an MBE.

Ian Rush, Dalglish’s long-time strike partner at Anfield, posted on Instagram: “The King Sir Kenneth Dalglish is one of the strongest and most positive people I’ve ever known. If anyone can face this battle with courage and determination, it’s Kenny. We’re all behind you.”

Alan Shearer, whom Dalglish managed to the Premier League title at Blackburn in 1995, replied to Dalglish’s Instagram post to say: “Everyone is with you Kenny”, while Blackburn posted on X: “Sending all our love and support to Sir Kenny Dalglish”.

Dalglish won eight league titles as a player and manager at Liverpool between 1979 and 1990.

He also lifted the European Cup three times in seven years as a player, as well as winning two FA Cups and five league cups as a player and two spells as manager at Anfield.

Dalglish won four Scottish league titles, four Scottish Cups and a league cup with Celtic before moving to Liverpool to replace Kevin Keegan, who revealed on Monday his own cancer had been diagnosed at stage four – the most advanced stage.

In 2018 former Scotland international Dalglish – who still holds the record for caps after playing 102 times – was knighted for services to football, charity and the city of Liverpool.

Dalglish received widespread praise for the way he handled the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster, in which 97 Liverpool fans died, on behalf of the club, personally attending the majority of the funerals including four in one day.

Meanwhile, former Liverpool winger John Barnes has revealed he had his prostate removed after a cancer diagnosis.

“Not many people know and it’s a bit of a taboo subject because we support women with breast cancer and it’s not even an issue,” he told Times Radio.

“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. Men have to bite the bullet and swallow their pride and admit if they have problems.”

Prostate Cancer UK fundraising and health strategy director Chiara De Biase said in a statement: “We’re so grateful to John for talking so openly about his prostate cancer diagnosis and we’re happy to hear he’s had successful treatment.”