Stan Petrov

[Djemba_Villan]

Slightly controverwial question perhaps, I don't mean it in the way it could be interpreted.

But does anyone know the situation regarding insurance in these cases? If we assume it's going to take Stan several years to overcome this illness, it's going to take him beyond his contract expiry. From a short term point of view, do you think we have no option but to consider him as a squad player as far as the UEFA rules go i.e. his wages can't be redistributed to fund a replacement, or are we effectively 60k/week down until the end of his contract now?

I desperately hope we see him in a Villa shirt again, no matter how unlikely, but also am curious as to how our midfield may look next year, considering in theory we would have had Petrov + Jenas (60k/week + 40k/week ish) given more luck on the injury front, hence 2 midfielders will be purchased perhaps over the summer.

[TrentVilla]

Petrol has a.contract and despite his illness that remains in place.

All the matters is his battle against the illness.

[Banger75]

Got my 'Support Stan' shirt in the post this week....have been wearing it ever since! My own battle with leukaemia as a child makes this something I am very passionate about.

Get well soon Stan.

[MikeMcKenna]

Bump - lets not forget Stan - I wonder how He is - anyone know?

[AstonMartin82]

I was doing some internet lurking earlier on in the week... it is a skill which I have developed over many a year. However, my lurking quest for the day in question was to find out if there was any information on the web about the possibility of Gus Poyet becoming our new manager.

So trolling through forums I go, and I stumble across a thread dedicated to Petrov within a Brighton forum. Well the story inside the thread tugged my heart strings and have been asked to spread the word and why wouldn't I... so, please find a link below to a little 3 year old boy who is fighting the same disease as our Captain Fantastic.

Football Unites

[LondonLax]

Slightly controverwial question perhaps, I don't mean it in the way it could be interpreted.

But does anyone know the situation regarding insurance in these cases? If we assume it's going to take Stan several years to overcome this illness, it's going to take him beyond his contract expiry. From a short term point of view, do you think we have no option but to consider him as a squad player as far as the UEFA rules go i.e. his wages can't be redistributed to fund a replacement, or are we effectively 60k/week down until the end of his contract now?

I desperately hope we see him in a Villa shirt again, no matter how unlikely, but also am curious as to how our midfield may look next year, considering in theory we would have had Petrov + Jenas (60k/week + 40k/week ish) given more luck on the injury front, hence 2 midfielders will be purchased perhaps over the summer.

Player contracts are usually insured. I am sure this would qualify for a payout from the insurance company.

[quinny]

Going to buy one of them shirts from the official shop. Also thinking about donating bone marrow. For the pain that it involves i think it's worth it if it saves a life.

It DOES NOT hurt to donate.

95% of the time stem cells will be taken peripherally (i.e. intravenously) after a couple of courses of growth injections a few days before (these injections are into the stomach and produce more stem cells to be donated)

I have given talks around the country about donating bone marrow/stem cells. I have had a bone marrow transplant and had my life saved by someone who was kind enough to donate after I had leukaemia.

To donate bone marrow I urge you to get in touch with The Anthony Nolan Trust .

Went to give blood last week and was told i can sign up there. Did it via the NHSBT, but they work in collaboration with Anthony Nolan. Went back 2 days later and they did a few tests and said i will be asked to be contacted by Anthony Nolan if a match was found. Today i was contacted by them telling me a possible match has been found. I just need to go back to do "extensive tissue typing"? The person doing the tests at the time said it could take years to find a match. Is it common to find a match so quickly?

Have you any update on this Daniel? I signed up with A.Nolan several years ago and have never had any contact other than when I've changed address. It'd be really great to know that fellow villans had actually helped saving somebodys life through donating due to Petrovs illness.

[Richard]

Slightly controverwial question perhaps, I don't mean it in the way it could be interpreted.

But does anyone know the situation regarding insurance in these cases? If we assume it's going to take Stan several years to overcome this illness, it's going to take him beyond his contract expiry. From a short term point of view, do you think we have no option but to consider him as a squad player as far as the UEFA rules go i.e. his wages can't be redistributed to fund a replacement, or are we effectively 60k/week down until the end of his contract now?

I desperately hope we see him in a Villa shirt again, no matter how unlikely, but also am curious as to how our midfield may look next year, considering in theory we would have had Petrov + Jenas (60k/week + 40k/week ish) given more luck on the injury front, hence 2 midfielders will be purchased perhaps over the summer.

I think it is a fair question to ask actually and one I pondered myself, it shouldn't and doesn't distract from Petrov beating this disease and our support for him in that but it is still a fair question

[Milenko27]

Best result it will take at least three years, that is if the chemo works well and his body responds well to it. If his body doesnt respond to the chemo he will need a bone marrow transplant and then i dont know time wise. But i believe his career as a footballer at this level is over no mather what, its a rocky road and it is up and down, and suddenly you can get an infection and bloodlevels fall down and you get weak and anemic again and so on, even after over two years of treatment and you have been stable for over a year, its difficult and when you get tired it takes a long time to get the strength back. Its like you no longer have any reserves or back up.

I guess players are well insured these days and also the clubs as well.

[smetrov]

Best result it will take at least three years, that is if the chemo works well and his body responds well to it. If his body doesnt respond to the chemo he will need a bone marrow transplant and then i dont know time wise. But i believe his career as a footballer at this level is over no mather what, its a rocky road and it is up and down, and suddenly you can get an infection and bloodlevels fall down and you get weak and anemic again and so on, even after over two years of treatment and you have been stable for over a year, its difficult and when you get tired it takes a long time to get the strength back. Its like you no longer have any reserves or back up.

I guess players are well insured these days and also the clubs as well.

Jesus - a grim place to be. Hang in there Stan.

kinda puts fretting about the new manager into perspective.

[VillaGoMarching]

Lovely touch by Lambert:

Aston Villa: Stiliyan Petrov to remain club captain - Paul Lambert

Jun 10 2012 by Mat Kendrick, Sunday Mercury

STILIYAN Petrov will remain as club captain at Villa, confirmed Paul Lambert.

But the recently-appointed boss is on the look-out for a new team skipper to lead the claret and blues in the absence of the influential Bulgarian.

For the past three months Petrov has been fighting against acute leukaemia and football issues are the last thing on his mind.

Nevertheless, Lambert, a close pal of Villa’s players’ player-of-the-year from their time together at Celtic, insists he will retain the honour because of what he has produced for the football club over the past six seasons.

“Stiliyan is still club captain, no doubt,” he said. “Even if I wasn’t manager of Aston Villa, his health is more important to me than anything.

“I just need to look for a team captain but I wouldn’t take anything away from Stiliyan for what he’s done here and what he’s going through at the minute.

“He is a huge influence on this football club.”

Lambert feels Stan’s situation ‘makes a mockery out of life’ because he was always known as the fittest player in the squad when at Celtic Park.

The pair played in midfield together for eight years before the 32-year-old followed Martin O’Neill down to the Midlands.

The tragic story of his good friend is something Villa’s new boss can’t hide away from but he has promised to support Petrov in whatever way he can now the duo have been re-united.

“I will go down and see him again, I texted him to see how he’s feeling.

“A charity game is something I’d support against Celtic too.

“Anything that can help, I think we have to look at. We’re talking about someone’s life here.

“This is an illness that affects thousands of people and it’s hard because of the relationship I had with him.

“I played with him when he was only 19 and he first came to Scotland.

“I had eight or so years with him. That’s a long time to have someone as a team-mate. I just hope and I’m pretty sure he will beat that.

“I’ve always kept in touch with him. I didn’t know (about his illness).

“At the time I was told, we were on our way to Fulham (with Norwich). I was just devastated. I couldn’t believe it.

“When he was at Celtic, he was one of the fittest footballers I’d ever played with.

“It just makes a mockery of life, really, because of how fit he was.

“He’s such a strong lad and a terrific guy. Hopefully he’ll be okay and be here.

“It makes you sick, actually, when you have played with someone and seen them in their prime and are close to them then you know he has an illness like that.

“My God almighty, your health is more important than anything. I’m pretty sure he’ll beat that.

“When I went to see him I was with him for a few hours.

“We talked football but only now and again.

“He was doing great and I’m looking forward to going back down to see him.”

Petrov was also sorely missed on the field last season as Villa were fortunate to avoid relegation under Alex McLeish.

The season started badly with the loss of key performers Stewart Downing and Ashley Young before injuries to the likes of Darren Bent and Richard Dunne made their task even tougher.

While Lambert will aid Petrov through his own personal battle, he too faces a fight to turn around the fortunes of the club that finished 16th in the Premier League with just 38 points and only four home wins.

Keeping hold of Villa’s top stars is a priority on his to-do list.

“I realise the players that they’ve lost have been huge footballers, they are international footballers I’d love to keep here. The ones we need.

“You need your big players to perform and drive the club. I think we have to prove we can keep them to give us a foothold. I will do everything I can to make this club as strong as it can be.

“I will do everything I can do to make the club better – you can never promise anything – but somewhere there’s a feeling of this is going to be a good place to be.”

LINK

[CI]

Great gesture by PL

[PandaMac]

Good act by Paul Lambert to keep Stan on as club captain. When he recovers would love to see him in some sort of ambassadors role

at the club.

[VillaChris]

Me too.

Stan bleeds claret and blue.

[kurtsimonw]

Really liking Lambert's decisions so far.

[mcben]

How is the recovery going? God I'd love to see him playing again. Is this even possible?

[Ooh-Ah]

Great touch by Lambert. He's doing everything right, isn't he? Feels nice to NOT have an incompetent buffoon as manager.

[Mantis]

How is the recovery going? God I'd love to see him playing again. Is this even possible?

Probably not, although I'm no medical expert so don't take my word for it. I wonder when he eventually does recover if we could maybe sign him for one game? Would be a lovely touch. He deserves a proper send-off. His last game for Villa was that awful defeat at Arsenal.

[ryanvilla_1994]

I'd like to think if he does have to retire we can have a send off match maybe against Bulgaria or Celtic?

[ender4]

How is the recovery going? God I'd love to see him playing again. Is this even possible?

early days, and no he won't be playing again (except maybe in a charity match).

Best result it will take at least three years, that is if the chemo works well and his body responds well to it.

If his body doesnt respond to the chemo he will need a bone marrow transplant and then i dont know time wise.

But i believe his career as a footballer at this level is over no mather what, its a rocky road and it is up and down, and suddenly you can get an infection and bloodlevels fall down and you get weak and anemic again and so on, even after over two years of treatment and you have been stable for over a year, its difficult and when you get tired it takes a long time to get the strength back. Its like you no longer have any reserves or back up.