Blues legend Alan Brazil returned to the talkSPORT airwaves this morning following a life-saving liver transplant.

Brazil, 66, a member of Sir Bobby Robson’s 1981 UEFA Cup-winning side, revealed just under a month ago that he had undergone the surgery having been off air for a number of weeks.

The former Scotland international made a brief return to the breakfast show this morning and for the first time gave details of the operation as well as his recovery.

“I am still here,” he said. “Gradually, every day improving and looking forward to getting back. It is going to be a few more weeks, but hopefully, just two or three and get back.

“There has been loads of sport on that has really kept me going, and it has been a funny few months - it really has.

“There is a lot of rubbish going at the moment with Kenny [Dalglish] and Kevin Keegan, John Barnes [all recently diagnosed with cancer] - every day you read something different.

“I copped it, but thank God, luckily, the guys at Addenbrooke’s Hospital have saved my life. I am on the mend. Still not there, but I am getting there.

“Incentives to get back include Gabby [Agbonlahor] talking tosh, and I can still do this. Gabby, I am only kidding and the sport has really kept me going, to be honest. I am alive and kicking, and I am looking forward to it.”

He added: “On the Wednesday morning I was working on talkSPORT. I’d had ongoing trials and seen so many specialists and they decided I needed a transplant.

“I didn’t want to do it but my kids and Jill [wife] said you have to do it, you are doing it. They said have a go at this or you’ll be in trouble.

“I finished at quarter to 10 and at 10 I had to phone Addensbrooke’s Hospital. They said get in right now.

“At 2.30 that afternoon I was on the slab and they opened me up. I was under for something like eight hours.

“They transplanted my liver. My heart did stop for a bit and it came back on its own. I’ll be frank, I’m very very lucky to be here.”

He added: “I’m feeling really, really good, but I can’t sleep. And I’ve got a problem at the moment with fluid. The fluid keeps coming back and they’re not worried, just saying, ’look, it’s early days’.

“It’s been five and a half weeks since they opened me up and they’re saying, ’look, we’ll get to the bottom of it, don’t worry’.

“I’m taking loads of meds and I’ve got loads of appointments at Ipswich Hospital and in Cambridge.

“So I’ve just got to be a good boy, take my pills, rest up and go and see these people, and hopefully I’ll get back to 100 per cent.

“For the last probably five, six years, I never realised how bad I was. I feel totally different now. And that’s the amazing thing about this. So I’m incredibly lucky.”

Photo: Action Images via Reuters