Andy Goram: Rangers icon and former Man United loanee given six months to live with terminal cancer

Rangers legend and former Man United goalkeeper Andy Goram, 58, is given just six months to live with terminal cancer, but turns down chemotherapy because it will only extend his life by three months

Rangers icon Andy Goram has been diagnosed with oesophagaeal cancer
Doctors told the 58-year-old he may only have six months to live without chemo
The former Scotland goalkeeper originally mistook the disease for indigestion
He vowed to ‘fight like I’ve never fought before’ although ‘chemo is off the menu’

By Michael Rudling For Mailonline

Rangers legend Andy Goram has been given just six months to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The 58-year-old reportedly turned down chemotherapy after being told it would only give him another 12 weeks, and said he would ‘fight like I’ve never fought before’.

Goram initially mistook his illness for bad indigestion, but after a scan at Monklands Hospital he was told he had level four oesophageal cancer.

The former goalkeeper played 184 times for Rangers, winning five league titles and three Scottish cups. He was a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson, who gave the keeper his first of 43 Scotland caps in 1985 and signed him on loan at Manchester United in 2000.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Goram said: ‘I thought I had severe indigestion. It was as though my gullet was blocked. After a few weeks, it got worse and nothing was getting through.

‘Everything I ate or drank didn’t get halfway to my stomach and I threw it back up. I couldn’t get a face-to-face with my GP for two weeks, by which time I was in total agony. I’d also lost four stone in four weeks.’

Andy Goram won five league titles and three Scottish Cups during his time at Rangers

The 58-year-old, pictured speaking at an event recently initially thought he had bad indigestion after experiencing heart burn but was diagnosed with terminal cancer

Rangers icon Goram won 43 caps in goal for Scotland in a 13-year international career

Andy Goram’s career

1981–1987 Oldham Athletic

1987–1991 Hibernian

1991–1998 Rangers

1998 Notts County

1998 Sheffield United

1998–2001 Motherwell

2001 Manchester United (loan)

2001 Hamilton Academical

2001–2002 Coventry City

2002 Oldham Athletic

2002–2003 Queen of the South

2003–2004 Elgin City

International

1985-1998 Scotland (43 caps)

‘I had a CT scan at Monklands, then was rushed to Wishaw General and told my next of kin should be with me. That is when the alarm bells started ringing. I realised I had cancer.’

He continued: ‘The surgeon explained where all the cancer was and it was inoperable. I knew I was in for a fight. If I don’t take the chemo, I have an average of six months.’

‘Take chemotherapy and be in agony for the sake of an extra three months and zero quality of life? No thanks. Chemotherapy is off the menu.

‘They had to put a stent in my oesophagus to unblock the cancer blockage and help me swallow again. The operation was a total success yet the pain was still unbearable.’

Goram is now looking to make the remainder of his life as bearable as possible. He said: ‘Now the priority is to get the right mixture and strength of painkillers along with morphine.

‘I’ve been given other drugs I’m not attempting to pronounce. Getting all these pills hit home just how serious this situation is. I need to take my medication religiously or I’m in big trouble.’

‘My pain is manageable. I can still go see friends and supporters’ clubs and still be myself.

‘I’ll be here as long as I possibly can. I’ll fight like I’ve never fought before. The only difference is the timebomb ticking away.’

The ex-goalkeeper, pictured in November 2021, has turned down chemotherapy because it would only give him an extra three months

WHAT IS OESOPHAGEAL CANCER?

Oesophageal cancer is a disease caused by tumours growing in the food pipe between the mouth and stomach.

The cancer is most common among people in their 60s and 70s and affects more men than it does women.

It can be hard to spot because it doesn’t cause any symptoms in its earlier stages, and only becomes noticed once the tumour has grown.

And its initial symptoms are often mistaken for common and benign issues.

Signs of the disease include difficulty swallowing, persistent indigestion or heartburn, loss of appetite, weight loss, and pain in the torso, chest or back.

Six out of 10 patients die within a year of being diagnosed, according to Cancer Research UK.

Only 12 per cent of people survive for 10 years after a diagnosis.

The exact cause of the disease isn’t well known but smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight or having an unhealthy diet are believed to increase someone’s risk of getting it.

Sources: NHS and Cancer Research UK

Goram began his professional career at Oldham after coming through the ranks at West Brom before he was released as a teenager.

He made almost 200 league appearance for the Latics after joining the club in 1981, earning himself a £325,000 move to Scottish side Hibernian six years later.

After impressing during four seasons with Hibs, Rangers paid £1million to sign Goram in 1991 and he went on to become both their No 1 and a fans’ favourite.

He picked up a total of 10 trophies during his time at Ibrox and was named the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year for 1992-93.

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