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Stewart: I’m Pretty Strong Psychologically and I’m Just Getting On With It
Sunday, 15th Jan 2023 12:17

Blues legend Marcus Stewart was back at Portman Road yesterday and spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk’s Life’s a Pitch ahead of the game against Plymouth Argyle about his motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis, his time as a Town player and his thoughts on the current team.

Stewart, whose only previous return to Portman Road since his 2002 departure was as a Sunderland player two years later, was given a rapturous reception by his old fans when he made his way to the dugout to speak to Simon Milton on the PA at half-time.

The 50-year-old received his diagnosis in September and has subsequently raised more than £42,500 for MND charity the Darby Rimmer Foundation with Town doing their part by launching a range of Stewart accessories including replicas of the iconic gloves he wore during his hugely successful spell at the club.

“Firstly, the support from all over the country has been overwhelming,” Stewart said in a lengthy interview with Mark Murphy (3hrs 12mins 34secs). “That’s continued from all my clubs.

“Obviously Ipswich have done what they’ve done with the gloves and the range of clothes with the money from the gloves going to the Darby Rimmer Foundation.

“I’m in pretty good shape really. I consider myself lucky. I’ve only got problems with my left arm and my grip in my left hand where I can’t really pick anything up with it.

“They’re my only symptoms at the moment along with twitches around my body, mostly in my left and right arm and my torso, really. But those twitches don’t keep me awake at night like they do a lot of what I’d call MND fighters.

“That’s all I’ve got. My twitches are quite mild compared with other MND fighters, so I’m in pretty good shape, and long may that continue. The symptoms seem to be quite slow and let’s hope it stays that way.”

Stewart, one of the scorers in the 2000 play-off final as George Burley’s Blues reached the Premier League before netting 19 times in the top flight the following season as Town finished fifth to qualify for Europe, says he first noticed symptoms when in the gym.


“In lockdown, in three or four workouts over the course of three or four weeks I was doing pull-ups and my hand came off the pull-up bar and I was struggling to pick a dumbbell up with my left,” he said. “And my left hand is my dominant one, I’m left-handed and left-footed.

“Something just wasn’t quite right and I remember looking down at my hand when I was watching TV one night and was about the turn the TV over to a different channel and it looked a bit skinny, like it had lost a bit of muscle mass.

“And then I looked at my arm and my arm was the same, just very skinny. And just went on from there really. It took a long time.

“Once it was confirmed that it was MND, it was a pretty tough week, but since then I’ve just got on with life and living life normally, and thinking normally, doing things normally.

“Obviously I’ve got to adapt a bit when it comes to my left hand and gripping things and using my left arm but I can still use it, it probably has 10 per cent of the strength that it used to have.”

The Bristolian says he’s sought to maintain a positive outlook but admits there are occasions when that’s not easy.

“It was a shock, I must admit,” he said of being given the diagnosis. “Telling family is the toughest thing to do. I’m more concerned about them, to be honest with you, than I am about myself, but that’s just how I am.

“I’m pretty strong psychologically and I’m just getting on with it now for them. In a way, of course they’re concerned about me, but I don’t want anyone to be sad around me.

“That’s simple, it’s not something to be sad about, you’ve got to embrace it, adapt and move on and get on with it. That’s how I want to be and that’s what I’ve said to people.

“We’re going to have moments when we’re going to be sat down and you might get a bit teary but that very rarely happens. If someone starts crying in front of me, I’ll have a go at them, ‘What are you crying for? Just get on with it’.

“That’s just how I am. There are moments when I have a little cry myself, that’s just going to happen when you’re sat there in your own thoughts and feelings get on top of you, you’ve had a tough week, people are always messaging you or people want to do things fund-raising-wise and I don’t even know them.

“It can be overwhelming at times, so I have to control my emotions quite a lot. But there are times when it gets on top of you but those times are very, very rare.”

Stewart believes Town are making great strides under manager Kieran McKenna and sees parallels with his signing at around this stage of the 1999/00 promotion campaign and fellow frontmen George Hirst and Nathan Broadhead joining the Blues this week.

“The club is certainly going in the right direction,” he added. “They’re in League One but hopefully next year it’ll be in the Championship.

“Kieran’s got his recruitment right so far along with the players he’s kept on from previous managers, so only time will tell whether these players are the right ones or not, but they’ve got a great opportunity now to go and make themselves heroes.

“I came in at this sort of time back in 2000. Those guys that have come in, the two strikers, they’ll understand what kind of pressure’s on them as soon as they see the crowd and when they see what type of crowd the club can potentially get every week when they’re in the top half of the table in whatever league, those guys will understand what type of club they’re playing for.

“All I hope is that they don’t get injured, they hit the ground running, they get a goal in the first two or three games. Every striker likes to do that, it settles the nerves and it makes you get a welcome at the club. It helps the lads accept you a bit more when you start scoring goals early.”

Asked if he has a message for his old fans, Stewart said: “Thank you for your support. Not just for what you’ve done with the Darby Rimmer Foundation or to those that have bought the gloves or donated to any MND charity, but for the past. Great times. Loved it. And I appreciate it.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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LimerickTractorBoy added 12:25 - Jan 15
Best wishes, and prayers, to Marcus and all the MND fighters. Such a tough situation. Health is wealth for sure.
17

Karlosfandangal added 13:17 - Jan 15
Legend

Those goals against Bolton puts back in it and really won Town promotion.

All the best to you sir
7

SickParrot added 14:06 - Jan 15
What a player and what a man. He had a lovely first touch and was a great finisher, but his greatest asset was arguably his movement off the ball. Such a clever player. Right up there with Mariner and Brazil as our best ever striker.

MND is a cruel and horrible condition, and he would be entitled to feel sorry for himself, but he clearly has no time for that. His "I've just got to get on with it" attitude should be an inspiration to us all. Thank you Marcus for giving me so much pleasure watching you play, and I wish you well with your brave fight against MND.
11

FramlinghamBlue added 14:34 - Jan 15
Awful condition - I do wonder if Ipswich could do a bit more than donate the profit of a few pairs of gloves.
6

budgieplucker added 15:18 - Jan 15
I have seen the Crawford and Mariner days, two of the best ever strikers in the English game, Marcus sir, even though you may not have had the opportunity to play at the very top for any length of time, ability wise and contribution to the history of this football club I put you on a par with these two greats. You will not be anything else in my eyes other than a true Ipswich legend and I pray that in due course before you experience any debilitating deterioration that medical science comes up with much better therapies to at least arrest the decline that this illness can cause. You have given me many magic moments at Portman Road, to see you back yesterday and at the moment coping and appearing fit and well was just another one of those magic moments. We all salute you sir.
15

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:42 - Jan 15
What an incredibly brave man. Thank you so much for providing us with real excitement: the year we went up, the playoffs against Bolton, and the PL. Good luck with whatever is to come.
7

therein61 added 17:32 - Jan 15
All my memories of you Marcus in a blue shirt were inspirational you always fought like hell on the park and now are doing the same(along with other MND fighters) with your condition great credit to you and the very best of wishes to you for the future and with hope some advance into research and treatment of MND and all others that suffer from this dreadful condition.
4

Bergholtblue added 19:58 - Jan 15
His positivity is an inspiration to us all.
3

Swailsey added 10:13 - Jan 16
I swear Marcus played at Bam-Bams testimonial, unless I'm imagining it! His goal got the biggest cheer. His words are inspirational - all the best to my childhood hero.
0

Taricco_Fan added 13:35 - Jan 16
As good a man as he was a player. I really feel for him and his family but his attitude and outlook towards his diagnosis are inspirational. I wish them all the best.
2

dubblue added 17:53 - Jan 16
Great to see the wonderful reception at last Saturday's match, fully deserved. Marcus made a huge impact during his time at Town.

I wish Marcus and his family all the very best as he battles this cruel disease.
1

Kikapu added 13:25 - Jan 17
Might be worth listening to a programme about the excellent progress being made by medical researchers to find a cure for this horrible disease.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001h495
The programme does suggest that athletes, including footballers, seem to be prone to suffering from MND.
We wish, all of us I'm sure, the best of luck to Marcus and his family.
0

Cervantes added 14:35 - Jan 17
One of the best we've ever had. It's a scandal that he didn't get an international call up after the 2000/2001 season. I wish you all the best Marcus, I have very fond memories of you, particularly when you scored at Leeds on my wedding day!
0

Tractorboy58 added 09:30 - Jan 18
Horrible disease - and really brings it home when it hits super fit sports people. Fingers crossed that it doesn't progress quickly and that all the money being raised helps to find some treatments
0


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