A FUNDRAISER supporting a Bala Town footballer diagnosed with cancer has raised nearly £4000 within the first week.

On August 16, midfielder Daniel (Danny) Gosset, who recently turned 25, was told he had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Close friend Andrew Cook has set up a crowdfunding page to help Gosset and his family, so far collecting £3,765.

Andrew said: "The reason behind the fundraising events is to help Danny and his family through a difficult time, offering both emotional and financial support,.

"Danny is one of the nicest people you are likely to meet, and I have never heard anyone say anything different about him."

Gosset is now undergoing chemotherapy in the hope that it will shrink the tumour. This will be followed by radiotherapy at the Christie hospital, Manchester.

Alongside football, he also runs a barber shop in Port Dinorwic, Gwynedd. Talking about the help he's received so far, Gosset said: "Thank you football family. I’m absolutely overwhelmed by the support I’ve had over the last few weeks. I'm also so grateful for each and every wonderful gesture - it means a lot to me and is definitely helping with my recovery.

"I’m blessed to be surrounded by such positivity. Every setback is a set-up for a comeback."

Gosset is a respected figure on the Welsh football scene, having turned out for the likes of Rhyl, The New Saints and Bangor City before signing for Bala in August 2018.

The midfielder spent last season on loan at Cymru Premier side Cefn Druids and has also played for English Football League side's Oldham Athletic and Stockport County in the past. His talent has also seen him represent the Wales C team.

The 25-year-old's diagnosis of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma came about after he had started suffering from a dull ache in his left hip.

In April, he visited his GP and was referred for an x-ray at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor - which did not pick up anything unusual.

In July, Gosset returned to Bala Town FC for pre-season training but the injury wasn't showing any sign of improvement and he went under the care of the club’s physiotherapist Fiona Evans.

Following a couple of sessions with the physio and the hip still painful, he was booked in for a private MRI scan which detected abnormalities within the femur.

Following the MRI results Danny was referred to the specialist bone unit at Gobowen, where further scans and a biopsy were taken. This resulted in the diagnosis of a B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Gosset says he has set himself a target to be back playing by the end of this season.

"His strong mindset and determination clearly shows the winning mentality of a professional athlete," friend Andrew Cook said.

"But it’s his selflessness to want to highlight how important it is to get injuries checked out professionally no matter how innocuous they may seem that's admirable."

To donate to the fundraiser, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dannygosset1?utm_term=q3bbp5Vqk