You’d struggle to find any football fan who’s not delighted to see Stiliyan Petrov back on the football pitch.
The former Aston Villa and Celtic midfielder was diagnosed with Leukaemia back in 2012 and announced his retirement from the professional game the next year.
But the Bulgarian has been lining out for Sunday League side Wychall Wanderers and delivered some silverware this week with a 6-0 victory in the Central Warwickshire Over-35s Premier Division One cup final.
Happy boys pic.twitter.com/n0ECWGbbhK
— Stiliyan Petrov (@StanPetrov19) April 9, 2015
The game, watched by 300 spectators, is admittedly a far cry from the glory days at Celtic Park and Villa Park but the fact that the 35-year-old had feared for his life a mere three years ago and is now out playing football is something of a minor miracle.
“It will go next to my UEFA Cup medal – every medal is valuable through my career and this will definitely go there,” Petrov told The Mirror.
“But it is more valuable than everything else – it is priceless. People may ask, ‘Why are you saying that?’ But I am satisfied.”
@ToolerG @muzzasolihull @bussty67 @Toolerd @Toolerc @jjmyatt @Bealey1979 first trophy for Wychall pic.twitter.com/FmwnMa5NNN
— Stiliyan Petrov (@StanPetrov19) April 9, 2015
“After my treatment people told me I can’t play football again, but now I can kick a ball again – even at this level and win something like this.
“I am still beside my family and I have managed to play nearly 90 minutes and win a cup. It is great.”
