Former Shrewsbury Town man Connor Goldson calls for increased heart checks

The 24-year-old has not played competitively since January after the discovery of a swollen aorta left him fearing for his career.

Former Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote died in June after collapsing while training in China, and his fellow Ivorian Eugene Kouame died earlier this month after suffering a heart attack.

Goldson, now with Brighton, said: “You look at Tiote. You never know what can happen. Two players in the last few months is way too many.

“Football needs to do something. Every club needs to check at least once a year.

“Unfortunately players don’t get the scans. I never felt a thing.

“If my little story can make other clubs think they need to do a test, hopefully it can save other players.”

Goldson’s problem, which was discovered during routine screening by the club, meant he missed the closing stages of the Championship campaign as Chris Hughton’s side finished runners-up to return to the top flight for the first time since 1983.

He could return to league action when Brighton begin the new season at home to Manchester City on August 12, and he would do so feeling fortunate to be alive.

“The surgeon explained it’s like a balloon and it gets bigger and bigger and it can just pop – or you can be fortunate and it never goes,” the former Meadow man said. “The average person has (an aorta of) 4cm and you’re at risk at 5cm. My last scan was 4.9cm. So I was very close.”

Goldson joined Albion from Shrewsbury in 2015 and has made 29 league appearances for the club.

Heart defects previously forced former Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba and ex-England and Nottinghamshire cricketer James Taylor to retire.

At the time of his diagnosis Goldson thanked his team-mates, Albion staff, girlfriend and family for their support during the “toughest few days” of his life. Your support had kept me positive,” he wrote. “I am so grateful to the be at the club I am at.”