Ex-Premier League player opens up on health battle after devastating diagnosis

Former Manchester City captain Andy Morrison has opened up about the devastating neurological condition he was diagnosed with earlier this year.

In March, Morrison, 55, announced that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome in a heartbreaking video online, vowing that he would document his battle on social media.

According to the NHS, the syndrome is caused by a virus affecting the facial nerve with symptoms including blisters in the ears and on the roof of the mouth, as well as tenderness and weakness in the face.

Although the condition is treatable, less than 50 per cent of sufferers make a complete recovery with steroids and specialist facial rehabilitation typically needed.

Morrison, who played from 1987 to 2001, took to social media again on Friday to share an update on his health and although it wasn't all positive news, he appeared to be taking things as well as can be expected.

In the video, he said: "Good evening. We are now at week 10 and I thought I'd do a little update from the specialist I saw last week. There is no good news.

"There is a test you can do, where one is the least and six is the worst and I'm between five and six. When you see the initial video I did, I said it could be six weeks recovery or a year. It's going to be a year. A long, long time.

"This is towards the end of the day so I'm a little bit tired and my mouth gets a bit droopy, but I want you to look at my bad side, and, if I lift... can you just see a tiny bit of movement?

"That's a big positive. The brain is beginning to repair the nerves. It starts there and works its way down or across.

"'It's a positive - and I need to look for any positives at the moment. There are good days and bad days. I helped my daughter move house, then I slept for two days, I couldn't get out of bed. It's exhausting."

The former midfielder joined Manchester City, who at the time were competing in the Championship, in 1998 and captioned the side to promotion to the Premier League in 1999.

He made 47 appearances for the club during his career and was voted as Man City's third best captain ever in their official magazine.

"The dizziness, the vertigo and the brain fog makes you feel drunk all the time,' he continued in the update.

"I haven't been drunk for over 35 years. "It is a challenge. I have had so many positive messages, people saying if anyone can come through it it's me, I'm resilient, I'm this, I'm that. I am, but there is fear there.

"Like I said many times, you have to have fear. There is a lot of fear, it's not a pretty sight and there are a lot of unknowns.

"But I will dig in and do what I have to do to get back to the best possible me. I will, whatever that takes.

"I try and smile... I can't tell you how frustrating and how aggressive it makes me that I can't control it. But I think it is there to test me. I have always been able to challenge things and take them on.

"Work harder, train harder... meet it head on, and I can't, I have to surrender. Get on my hands and knees and pray that God and the universe will heal eventually.

"I think the little bit of movement is a real positive. I'm looking forward to the game next week, I'm going to the Brentford game, and hopefully things go well against Everton which will make it a special day against Brentford.

"Thanks for listening. I will probably touch base in another few weeks. Thanks."