Former Aberdeen striker Frank McDougall has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
The 64-year-old, who scored 44 goals in 69 appearances for the Dons before being force to retire at the age of 29 due to a back injury, announced his diagnosis at the weekend.
McDougall, who was a guest on a Dons football show hosted by Ally Begg on YouTube, decided to go public with his condition while discussing his inclusion in the club’s 2022 hall of fame class.
The Manchester-based former Don said: “(The hall of fame announcement has) come at a good time in my life when I’ve just been diagnosed with lung cancer. It makes it so special.
“Life is life. We go on, we fight it. It’s hard to say in words when you see the guys on that hall of fame.
“It is what it is. I’ve been through the ropes the last few weeks. I had a biopsy last week. They sedated me and I was fighting them.
“I went to see the guy who did it and he said ‘Frank you were fighting so much we’ll have to send you to get a general anaesthetic.
‘Your tumour is 4.6cm by 4.8cm. I couldn’t get nothing out of you.”
McDougall vows to win his fight
McDougall is scheduled for surgery in the coming weeks and insists he is ready to fight his illness.
He said: “I’m going for another scan and I presume I’ll go back and get the tumour and a lung removed.
“It’s all in progress now. The good thing is hopefully with this next scan it’s not spread.
“I’m a fighter.”
Host Begg provided an update on McDougall’s condition following an off-air discussion with the former Dons striker on his show.
He told viewers: “Frank has got stage 2 lung cancer and is due for a procedure in a hospital not far from Manchester in the next four to five weeks.
“If all goes well the doctor will be able to remove the tumour.”
Dons fans have been sending their well wishes to the former striker on social media.
Wishing Frank all the very best.
— Gary Wright (@GaryWright1903) October 1, 2022
On Facebook, Paul Paterson wrote: “Sorry to hear about this, but knowing Frank, he is a real fighter and I know every Don will be thinking of him and his family.”
Former Don Walker McCall wrote: “So sorry to hear this news. I know you are a fighter my friend and will fight it all the way.
“Good luck with the procedure and hope all goes well. We as ex players are all behind you and pulling with you my friend.”
There's only one Frank McDougall ❤️❤️ Absolute Legend 🇵🇪🇵🇪
— Sheeponfire1903🍒 (@sheepforindy) October 1, 2022
McDougall has thanked well wishers on Facebook.
He wrote: “Thank you for the support I loved my days at AFC with the best players in not just Scotland but Europe.”
McDougall left a lasting impression during his brief spell with the Dons
McDougall, who moved to the Dons from St Mirren in 1984, finished the leading scorer in the Premier Division with 24 goals in his first season at the club.
His goals helped the Dons win the league championship in 1985 with the highlight coming in his hat-trick to clinch the title in a 3-0 win against Hearts at Tynecastle.
He scored another 20 goals the following season, including all four in a 4-1 win against Celtic at Pittodrie before being calling time on his career due to his back injury in the 1986-87 campaign.
McDougall is due to be inducted into the Aberdeen hall of fame next month alongside Duncan Shearer, Dougie Bell, Russell Anderson and the late Davie Robb.