Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish reveals cancer diagnosis after accidental social media post
The 75-year-old former Liverpool player and manager said his treatment is progressing well, but asked for privacy after mistakenly making the news public.
An accidental disclosure
Kenny Dalglish, the former Scotland, Celtic and Liverpool great, confirmed on Tuesday that he is undergoing treatment for cancer. The 75-year-old said the news became public after an inadvertent social media post, which he attributed to his poor technology skills.
As my inadvertent social media post has indicated, I am currently undergoing treatment for cancer. Unlike my mobile phone use, the treatment is going well.
Dalglish stressed that he had intended to keep the matter private. He asked that the privacy of his family and himself be respected, while thanking medical staff for their care and discretion.
Ideally, this would have remained private because that's the way it should be, but my useless technology skills have forced my hand.
A career of extraordinary success
Affectionately known as "King Kenny" by Liverpool supporters, Dalglish is widely regarded as the club's greatest ever player. He scored 172 goals for Liverpool in 13 seasons, winning six league titles and three European Cups during the club's dominant era in the 1970s and 1980s. Before joining Liverpool, he won four Scottish league titles with Celtic.
He later became player-manager at Anfield, guiding the side to a league and FA Cup double in his first season in the dual role, followed by two more league titles in 1988 and 1990. After leaving Liverpool, he led Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League title in 1995. Dalglish also earned 102 caps for Scotland.
The club's response
Liverpool FC issued a statement offering their "support, best wishes and love" to Dalglish, who now serves as a club ambassador. The club also underscored his request for privacy moving forward.
The club would also like to underscore his request for privacy moving forward.
A second diagnosis in days
The news about Dalglish comes shortly after another former Liverpool forward, Kevin Keegan, revealed on Monday that he has stage four cancer. Keegan, who also managed England, succeeded Dalglish at Liverpool in the 1970s. The two announcements, separated by a single day, have drawn attention to the health challenges facing two of the club's most iconic figures.
