Gary Macs wife loses cancer battle

MonkeyTennis

The wife of former football star Gary McAllister has died after a long battle against cancer.
Mother-of-two Denise died in a Nottingham hospital with her husband at her bedside.

Her condition had been thought to be improving, but took a turn for the worse over recent months, according to a spokesman for the family. She was in her late thirties.


McAllister, a former Scotland captain, had repeatedly taken breaks from his career so he could be with his wife during her illness and three years ago gave up his job as player-manager of Coventry City to nurse her.

Mrs McAllister was diagnosed with the disease in 2000 when she underwent treatment for breast cancer after finding a lump when she was seven months pregnant.

She refused treatment until her son Oliver was born, then had a masectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy after doctors persuaded her that the birth should be bought forward.

At the time, her husband, who was playing for Liverpool, took a break from playing to be with her.

In a statement when he left Coventry City in December 2003, after she had again become ill, he said: "I believe I have a responsibility to be with my family at this time."

He later added: "As far as I was concerned it wasn't a decision. It was just the natural thing to do; I didn't want to be at a football club."

In May last year McAllister said his wife's progress was 'pretty good', although the battle was 'still ongoing'.

In August, he was even linked with a return to football as assistant manager at Derby County, although he did not land the job.

The couple married in Gretna Green in 1993 and have another son, Jake.

McAllister, 41, began his career at his local side Motherwell, but has spent most of his career in England, playing for Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool and Coventry.

He was capped 56 times for Scotland, but quit international football when he was booed by Scotland fans after a defeat in 1999.

He was given an MBE in the 2002 New Year's Honours List.

One of his greatest moments was when he was awarded man of the match in Liverpool's 5-4 victory over Spanish side Alaves in the 2001 UEFA Cup Final. His wife had travelled to watch the match while she was in remission and he gave his prize money to two cancer charities.

The day after, he spoke of how his wife's disease had affected him. He said: "It was a dream life until Denise's illness was diagnosed. You get to travel the world, make money and meet loads of interesting people.

"But basically you're pampered and spoiled as an idividual, until you undergo a life-changing experience such as the fear of losing your wife.

"I'd only ever been used to football-related problems, so I didn't know how to cope with something serious in my own home. Denise would say: 'What's happened has happened and we must just get on with it'."

Mrs McAllister became an ambassador for the charity Breast Cancer Car and took part in a starstudded charity fashion show in 2002 at the Hilton Hotel in London.

What can you say? Such a tough thing for him and his family.
YNWA

GLaDOS

I'd no idea she had cancer......My thought are with Gary and his Family-YNWA

Davei141

Youll be in my thoughts gary - YNWA.

Space Coyote

God that's very very sad. Let's wish Gary and the kids all our condolences during this inconsolable time in their lives. Gary Mc is a legend, especially among us Liverpool fans. That 40 yard free-kick against Everton will never be forgotten. I'd love to see him back in football at some stage, he would surely make a great coach or manager.

YNWA

MrJoeSoap

Jeez thats tragic, especially with two young kids.

RIP

jesus_thats_gre

It happens to normal people everyday.. Sad but thats life..


I am a Liverpool supporter and will you please stop with the YNWA crap!!

andrewie

Very sad.. RIP

mike65

Very sad business, the fact he has two children to bring up proberly means he'll not return to an active role in football.

Mike.

Necronomicon

Very sad, and particularly having the hard decision to make to turn down treatment because she was pregnant.
RIP. And my thoughts go to the kids and Gary McAllister, hopefully he'll be back in football one day.