Former Aberdeen winger Connor McLennan has revealed he underwent emergency surgery to remove his appendix earlier this season.
The 24-year-old, now at Salford City, was advised by a club physio to get scanned after suffering from stomach pain.
McLennan underwent an appendectomy the day after the scans.
He admits the diagnosis and surgery came “out of the blue” after a strong start to his career with the English League Two club.
The Aberdeen Youth Academy graduate was ruled out for two months but is now back to full fitness.
McLennan’s surgery setback came just a month after suffering a dislocated shoulder – only 60 seconds before scoring his first-ever goal for Salford!
The Peterhead-born winger dislocated his shoulder in a 2-2 Carabao Cup draw with Preston North End on August 8 last year.
Within a minute of returning to action, he scored… and went on to net a double.
McLennan said: “I had a decent start to the season, but began to get stomach cramps and it ended up being appendicitis.
“I had to get an operation which kept me out for the best part of two months.
“That was out of the blue.
“It was all really quick – the stomach cramps were coming on and off. It wasn’t agony so I just brushed it aside.
“Then I was struggling at training one day and told the physio.
“He said to get it scanned to clear it up and see what the problem is.
“It just so happened one of my team-mates had it (appendicitis) as well about two months before.
“It was within a week of having the sore stomach to getting scanned.
“The operation was the next day after I got the scan.
“All of a sudden I was in for an operation and was then out for two months, which hindered me quite a bit.
“Everything went well and I was back running four weeks later.
“I have been in good health otherwise. I feel fit again.”
Scoring 60 seconds after suffering dislocated shoulder
McLennan signed for Salford City last summer on an initial one-year deal following his exit from Aberdeen.
The winger had spent the 2022-23 season on loan at St Johnstone during the final year of his Pittodrie contract.
He was not offered a new deal by Aberdeen.
That ended 15 years at Pittodrie for the youth system graduate, who made 107 appearances for the Dons.
McLennan made an immediate impact at Salford when scoring a double in his first start, against Preston.
He fired in the opener in the 2-2 draw less than a minute after having a dislocated shoulder popped back in by a club physio.
Salford would win the tie 4-2 on penalties.
He said: “I dislocated my shoulder against Preston in the cup.
“I was off the pitch to get treatment for that and the physio managed to pop it back in.
“Then a minute after going back on the pitch, I scored.
“I scored later on in that game as well and we went on to win that tie on penalties.
“I think it happened in a tug or something with a defender.
“These things happen. I wouldn’t say I’m used to it, but I can get on with it.”
Identical incident with Aberdeen
Bizarrely McLennan has suffered a dislocated shoulder, and scored, in debut starts for both of his permanent clubs.
He suffered the same in a 4-1 defeat of St Mirren on October 6, 2018.
He said: “A dislocated shoulder actually happened in my first start for Aberdeen against St Mirren.
“I scored in that game as well!”
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