By Martin Morgan

Last updated 11:43, Thursday, 03 April 2008

FORMER Carlisle United and Workington Reds favourite John Holliday is battling cancer.

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The 36-year-old Cumbrian is currently undergoing radiotherapy in London and according to Reds manager Darren Edmondson, a pal since their days as teenage hopefuls at Brunton Park, he is in good spirits.

“It’s cancer of the tongue,” said Mr Edmondson, who explained that his friend, who went on to become a journalist with the News & Star and Border Television after retiring from football, was not keeping his illness under wraps.

“The cancer is roughly the size of a 10 pence piece, and he’s had three weeks of chemotherapy over a six-week spell.

“I chat to him most days and he seems to be doing OK.

“He’s had his moments obviously, and the radiotherapy is knocking him for six. Basically they blast a laser on to his tongue and throat. He’s getting daily doses for two hours and is on morphine.”

The cancer came to light in November when a lump developed on the former United defender’s neck.

“They thought at first it might be a perforation of the muscle, almost like a hernia,” Mr Edmondson added. “His lymph nodes had swollen.”

Mr Holliday, whose family comes from Langwathby in the Eden Valley, lives in the capital with wife Beth.

The couple, who live in Richmond, have no children. He has latterly worked for Sky TV in news production.

“Sky have given him leave to get over the cancer,” Mr Edmondson said. “They’ve kept his job open.”

After several seasons with Carlisle, Mr Holliday quit full-time professional football due to a persistent hernia problem he found impossible to shake off, and a serious back injury. But he later enjoyed an extended spell at Borough Park with Reds.