When referee Gary Parsons pulled David Brooks for a chat on the finish of a Bournemouth growth squad recreation final week, it was not the standard dialog between participant and official.
Brooks performed for the Cherries youth group in a Hampshire Cup recreation in opposition to Portsmouth as he continues his comeback after his battle with most cancers, having made his Premier League return a number of days earlier.
The 25-year-old, who has crushed stage two Hodgkin lymphoma, scored a hat-trick and claimed an help in a 5-2 win, but might need bought extra out of his speak with Parsons after full-time.
The match official is aware of precisely what Brooks has been via, having additionally crushed most cancers.
The 43-year-old, a Step One referee officiating National League and Premier League 2 video games, was recognized with bowel most cancers in 2020 and given lower than 50 per cent likelihood of surviving.
Yet, barely 12 months later, he was again out with the whistle in his hand refereeing a National League recreation.
It was an opportunity assembly between the 2 at Dean Court final week, however they bonded over shared experiences.
“It was a complete coincidence that I reffed that game. We had a chat afterwards,” Parsons, whose newest scan in October 2022 confirmed no proof of the illness, instructed the PA information company.
“To speak to people that have been through it is so much easier. We were speaking for about half an hour, speaking about things that only we can understand. I’d never met him before, but it was a nice meeting and he didn’t know my story.
“When he scored his hat-trick he was taking his time walking back and I said, ‘Come on, get your a*** back, we need to get on with the game’.
“And he was like, ‘Give me a break, I’ve been out with cancer’. So I went, ‘Yeah, I’ve done that as well and can still get back, so hurry up’. He laughed and that’s where the conversation started.
“If he wants to chat again then I’m more than happy to. If I can help in any way then I will.”
Despite his speedy return to the pitch, Parsons’ journey again was not simple.
He remembers going via “nine months of hell” with chemotherapy, which additionally brought on him to have a suspected coronary heart assault, in addition to struggling along with his psychological well being.
“I went to a very dark hole to start with,” he added. “I have two young boys, at the time 15 and 12, and to try and explain to your boys that you might not be there is a very difficult thing. I didn’t feel sorry for myself, but I was negative. It was, ‘Am I going to be here? I am going to see the next birthday’ – they were the thoughts.
“Then when I had a plan in place I could structure what I am doing. After a week of getting home, I was pestering them to get going. I wanted it all over and done with.
“From a personal point of view there were some not nice days.”
He made a triumphant return on the ultimate day of the 2020-21 season when he took cost of Woking in opposition to Wealdstone and initially thought that will be his swansong as a referee.
But that has not proved to be the case and he’s in his second full season again at Step One degree, with ambitions to turn out to be a referee within the English Football League.
“I begged them to let me do a proper game of football that season,” he stated. “I got ill before the season started. My goal was to beat cancer and referee a game of football before the end of the season. I got out at Woking on the last day of the season as a comeback game.
“I wasn’t fit. I wasn’t probably mentally prepared but it was two fingers to cancer. It might have got me but I got back in a football season.
“I am now in my second full season back. It is going well. It has been an enjoyable season. I am one promotion away from the EFL. If my body holds up, my goal is to referee in the EFL.
“I have been fourth official and been involved in it in the last three years and I am striving to get to that level. That would complete the journey for me.”
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