Sunderland legend & ex-Hartlepool United forward delivers health update after triple heart bypass surgery
The Sunderland legend has provided a positive update on his health after undergoing heart surgery last year
Former Sunderland hero and Hartlepool United forward Marco Gabbiadini has provided a positive update on his health after undergoing heart surgery last year.
Gabbiadini, 57, is a regular pundit on BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport and revealed on the show last year that he had undergone tests after having felt twinges in his chest. The ex-striker, who also played for Derby County, Crystal Palace and Hartlepool United, was signed for Sunderland for a bargain £80,000 in 1987 as a 19-year-old from York City.
He was an immediate hit, scoring 87 goals in 185 games for the Wearsiders, including the winner in a 2-0 play-off victory at Newcastle in 1990. He was pivotal to Sunderland rising from the old Third Division to the top flight in just three seasons, but now a grandad, Gabbiadini faced a different challenge recently.
The former striker returned to the Wearside last weekend as Sunderland played Cardiff City at the Stadium of Light and was presented to the Stadium of Light crowd at half-time alongside his brother, Riccardo Gabbiadini, who was also on the books at Roker Park during the 1988-89 season.
After the game, Marco Gabbiadini provided an update on his health as he continues to recover well from triple heart bypass surgery, with the Nottingham-born former player keen to praise their NHS for their outstanding work.
“Absolutely fine,” Gabbiadini said when asked how he was. “It's been a difficult few months. I got my diagnosis of a heart condition back in May, and I was fit as a fiddle, really. No symptoms, really. It was just one of those strange things. I had some blocked arteries that needed replacing, so quite a big operation,” Gabbiadini told Sunderland’s YouTube channel
The former Sunderland and Derby County man continued: “But it took five months to get into hospital from that diagnosis where I had to be very careful what I was doing and I got advice to be close to a hospital in case anything did go wrong. But luckily, I got to the operation without any major incidents, and it was quite a big, big operation.
“Recovery, they say six to 12 months, but I'm about four months now, and I feel absolutely top of the world. So, it's almost a thing of the past, but I've got the scars to prove it. But they did a great job and the NHS were fantastic. So, yeah, I'm really, really pleased,” the ex-striker concluded.