Ex-Hatters captain Brian Horton reveals he is battling prostate cancer

Former Luton skipper Brian Horton has hailed the ‘lifesaving’ League Managers Association (LMA) after announcing his diagnosis with prostate cancer this week.

Horton, who captained the Hatters to promotion to the top-flight in the 1981-82 season, played 132 games in total for Luton during a three year stint at Kenilworth Road after signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring 10 goals as well.

Having played for Port Vale and Hull City, on hanging up his boots, Horton then took charge of over 1,000 matches in a distinguished managerial career, spending time at three of his former clubs, while also having a spell in charge of Manchester City too.

The 74-year-old took part in an annual health check-up in early April as part of his long-term affiliation with the LMA and the results flagged up the disease a month later.

He is now encouraging more men to know their risk of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men, by taking Prostate Cancer UK’s 30 second risk checker.

On the eve of the Premier League clash between two of his former clubs, Manchester City and Brighton, he decided to talk about his diagnosis, as reserving special praise for Doctor Sally Harris who oversaw the check-up and initially flagged the potential danger of prostate cancer, Horton said: “Until this happened, I didn’t know anything at all about prostate cancer.

"I never dreamed this would happen, so I’m hugely grateful and thankful to the LMA for the work they do as they are saving lives.

“Even now I feel as fit as anyone.

"I didn’t feel any different before the LMA check, I wasn’t going to the loo more or anything; there were no symptoms.

"Probably in our era, you think you are okay, you think you are invincible.

“Cancer is such a big word, isn’t it? A word that everybody dreads.

"The biggest thing you think about straight away is your family and telling them, but I’m also really committed to talking about this, telling my story and making men more aware of the risk of prostate cancer.

"That will hopefully ensure others aren’t walking around unaware.”

As he plans for brachytherapy - a type of radiotherapy where tiny radioactive seeds are put into your prostate – the former Hatter admitted he was persuaded to speak out by another ex-Luton player Mick Harford, who has also been battling the disease himself.

He said: “I saw Mick Harford at the Brighton versus Luton game, and Mick asked me if I was going to talk publicly about it. 

"I’d been discussing it with people, with my wife and family and it was Mick who made me realise that it was very, very important.

"If it helps other men at risk of prostate cancer seek advice from their GP, then I think it’s worthwhile doing it.”

The news about Brian strengthens the relationship between Prostate Cancer UK and the LMA with the two organisations closing in on a decade of lifesaving work.

LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan said: “Our members' health is extremely important to us and remains a significant area of support that we provide to them and their families

“The LMA is proud to have built such a strong and powerful partnership with Prostate Cancer UK.

"Our members have engaged magnificently with the charity’s work in so many different ways for more than nine years now, and that work has proved to be life changing.”

Prostate Cancer UK Chief Executive Laura Kerby added: “Brian’s story is a stark reminder of the dangers of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.

"Unfortunately, early prostate cancer usually doesn’t have any symptoms, which is why men need to be aware of their risk and should take our online risk checker to find out more.

“It's encouraging to hear his treatment path is underway and we thank him for speaking out about prostate cancer in the football community.”

» Prostate cancer is curable if caught early, but early-stage prostate cancer often has no symptoms, so it is vital that men know their risk.

Men are at higher risk if they are over 50, black or have a father or brother who has had prostate cancer.

More than 1.86m people have completed Prostate Cancer UK’s award-winning risk checker.

You can check your risk in the next 30 seconds by clicking the link here.