[Ammi]

Alan Hansen, the esteemed former Liverpool captain, Match of the Day pundit and Telegraph columnist, is seriously ill in hospital.

The Merseyside club, where he won eight league titles, three European Cups and two FA Cups over 14 years, put out a statement in support of “a defender of the utmost elegance”.

“The club is currently in contact with Alan’s family to provide our support at this difficult time, and our thoughts, wishes and hopes are with Alan and all of the Hansen family,” Liverpool added. “We will provide any further updates as we receive them in due course, and we request that the Hansen family’s privacy is respected at this time.”

Gary Lineker, who anchored many Match of the Day episodes that featured Hansen, posted: “Horrendous news. Thoughts are with Alan, Janet and all the family.”

Des Lynam, the former BBC and ITV anchor, sent his best wishes to a “thoroughly decent chap. “We worked very well together and became good friends,” Lynam told The Telegraph.

“I was responsible for the ‘you’ll never win anything with kids’ comment, having asked him ‘what’s going wrong with Manchester United?’ They ended up printing T-shirts with it. He always says it was the making of his broadcasting career, rather than causing him problems, because everybody remembered it and remembered him for saying it... he’s always high in my estimation because he is such a thoroughly decent chap.”

Hansen, a Scotland international, became a household name after retiring as a player and becoming the BBC’s most prized pundit. The 68-year-old spent 15 years as a Telegraph columnist before retiring from all media work a decade ago to spend more time with his family and playing golf.

“Twenty-four years after walking away from Liverpool for the last time after captaining the club to the 1990 league championship, I could never have envisaged a more fitting way to end my career with the BBC and as a Telegraph Sport columnist than with a World Cup final at the Maracana,” he wrote in his last column for this newspaper.

On leaving broadcasting Hansen bemoaned the impact of social media on his profession. “Twitter has changed everything, to the point whereby you not only have to make sure that what you say is right, but also that you say nothing wrong,” he added.

“There has never been a hiding place in the media, but nowadays, you can find yourself being judged within 10 seconds of publication or broadcast.”

‘Defender of the utmost elegance’

In full, Liverpool’s statement read: “The thoughts and support of everyone at Liverpool FC are with our legendary former captain Alan Hansen, who is currently seriously ill in hospital.

“A defender of the utmost elegance, Hansen’s outstanding raft of honours across a 14-year spell with the Reds – he joined from Partick Thistle in 1977 – included eight league titles, three European Cups, two FA Cups and three League Cups.

“‘Jocky’, as he was known by team-mates, is in the top 10 for all-time appearances for the club having played 620 matches, and the Scottish centre-back also served as Liverpool skipper for four seasons.

“The club is currently in contact with Alan’s family to provide our support at this difficult time, and our thoughts, wishes and hopes are with Alan and all of the Hansen family.

“We will provide any further updates as we receive them in due course, and we request that the Hansen family’s privacy is respected at this time.”


https://uk.yahoo.com/sports/news/ala...154801438.html