Motherwell's Trevor Carson warns footballers after returning from near fatal blood clot illness

Motherwell goalkeeper Trevor Carson has warned footballers not to hide injury concerns from medical staff after doctors found a near-fatal blood clot in his lung.

The 31-year-old's illness was found days after Northern Ireland faced Austria in a Nations League match in Belfast last summer.

Carson has returned to the national squad for the first time since the discovery and was initially told there was a 90 per cent chance he had cancer.

"In the end I was grateful it was just a blood clot," Carson told Sky Sports News.

"I'd got a clot in my shoulder, but I'd ignored it for that long it broke off into my left lung. It's called a pulmonary embolism."

"It could have lodged in the heart, it could have been fatal and I'm just so grateful."

Carson first experienced pain before he faced Rangers at Ibrox, a week prior to the Austria defeat, before meeting up with his international team-mates.

"I got wind I was going to play against Austria and being a proud Northern Irishman, everyone says it you play through anything," he added. "There was nothing that was going to keep me off the pitch."

"I had pain in my neck and chest two days before but bottled it up and blagged my way through it and played the game. I didn't feel anything in the game. It's amazing what adrenaline can do."

It was only on his return to Motherwell on the Tuesday that action was taken and he credits his mum for the decision to seek help.

"My mum was over at the time and she knew something wasn't right," Carson said.

"I was dropping her to the airport in Glasgow and she was in tears. She refused to get on the plane until I told her I would go to hospital! They say it's a mother's instinct. I'm just glad I took her advice."

Carson says he has a new lease of life as he prepares for the European Qualifier double-header in Estonia and Belarus.

"It was emotional. I thought of my family. I've got two young kids and a partner," he said.

"I told them (medical staff) it was just a little niggle but if I've learnt anything from it is be honest, tell the physio about these things."