Aberdeen defender Angus MacDonald has revealed that he used to play alongside Harry Kane for England at youth level and has reflected on his successful battle to beat bowel cancer.
Now 31, MacDonald previously represented his country from U16 to U20 level and says he was a teammate of Three Lions captain and Bayern Munich striker Kane as well as former Everton and Chelsea star Ross Barkley. But as the Daily Record writes, MacDonald admits that all-time record England goalscorer Kane was once left out of the side for the prestigious Victory Shield youth tournament.
He said: “In my younger years I did play with Harry Kane and Ross Barkley. I was an England youth international from U16 to U20s. Harry actually didn’t get picked for the England team I was in! He came to a camp and although he was good he was not in the U16 Victory Shield side. Harry has done quite well for himself since!”
MacDonald has since had to concentrate on his club career. He moved to Aberdeen last January and made an immediate impact, helping the Dons to finish third in the Premiership. That secured European football, a feat he rates as his biggest on-field achievement. And what makes it even more remarkable is he once had to battle through bowel cancer.
When asked what his highlight was, he replied: “Qualifying for Europe last season. Hitting 30, with all the things I have gone through in my career, the amount of time I’d missed, I did wonder if I would get the chance to play in Europe.
“Personally, to finally get that opportunity is an amazing experience. That one and also when I overcame my cancer, having spent 441 days out of the game and going back to play in a game for Hull in the Championship was a real achievement.
“I never thought at 26 and being a professional footballer I’d have been hit with the word cancer and diagnosed with bowel cancer. It was a bombshell. Four years down the line, I’m now back playing, doing what I love and this is the healthiest I have been in my whole life.”
MacDonald was a first-pick for Aberdeen last season and a major player in their revival. But he has been left on the fringes this term after a frustrating injury left him playing catch-up during pre-season. It has allowed new boy Slobodan Rubezic to steal a march on him and nail down a berth in the Aberdeen defence.
“There’s a lot of running and high-intensity work so you have to get yourself right physically to be able to play. Being injured early in the summer was hard, especially when you’re trying to do a proper pre-season.”
Leave a Reply