Former Liverpool and Bolton midfielder Stephen Darby has spoken publicly about his battle with motor neurone disease (MND), describing the condition as a "brutal disease" with a "terrible prognosis". The 31-year-old retired from football last year after receiving the diagnosis.
Darby, who came through Liverpool's academy and also played for Bradford, said the news came as a shock. "Life expectancy is normally two to five years [and] a third of people die within a year. That's obviously quite tough. It's quite brutal," he said.
He and close friend Chris Rimmer, a former soldier who also has MND, have established the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation to raise funds for research. Darby is supported by his wife Steph Houghton, captain of the England women's football team.
His fundraising efforts have drawn support from former teammates and clubs, including a match between Bradford and Liverpool scheduled for July. Darby began his career at Liverpool in 2008, making three Champions League appearances and one Premier League appearance, before joining Bradford in 2012. In his first season, Bradford reached the League Cup final and gained promotion from League Two via the play-offs. He moved to Bolton in 2016 and announced his retirement in September 2018, 14 months after joining.
