Did you think you’d
ever play football again?
“To be honest with you, no I didn’t and that really put me
in a bad place. Thinking that id never do something I have a real passion again
was the worst feeling in the world. I began to try and think of things to
replace it, but there was just nothing. I’m still so young, but this happening
has really matured me and maybe view things very differently. I was never an
optimistic person, but now I’m the most optimistic person ever, you really can
achieve anything you want.”
Who helped you the
most throughout this ordeal?
“It’s a real cliché to say that family is everything and I’m
going to agree with that. Papa Nige, as we call him, was the most helpful.
Obviously all of the family supported me, but dad was by far the most
supportive, he took time off of work just to spend time with me at the
hospital, sat with me all day, stayed with me over night. However, the best
thing he did was kept reassuring me that one day I’d make it at a big club and
as he always says, “I’m never wrong Danny, trust me.” I also had big help from
Darren Fletcher, who also suffers from a similar bowel disease. He came and
visited me and told me how he overcame it to play again. After all of this
support, I was beginning to believe that I would play again.”
Could you have joined spurs?
“Never, no. I’m a massive arsenal fan and so is all of my
family. So, I couldn’t have done it. As much as I couldn’t have turned down a
pro contract from a premier league club, I’d never join spurs. I was grateful
when the offers came in from premier league clubs, but the one I was waiting
for came shortly after. I was delighted when Arsenal made the offer. Arsene
Wenger travelled to see me and talk over the deal and for me that was special.
I will now put everything I have into breaking into the 1st team and
contributing to the successful of this wonderful club.
“Definitely, I keep
pinching myself to see if I’m dreaming, but I’m not. I still can’t believe that
this has happened to me, Danny from Cornwall. I’m settling in great, with the
other lads that are around my age. I guess I’m still getting used to it, but as
the training takes off and we get into the season, things will settle down.
Living in London compared to Cornwall is crazy; there is so much going on here!
It’s fair to say I really am living the dream.”
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