Former Sunderland and Birmingham manager Tony Mowbray has opened up on the cancer diagnosis that saw his 'world come crashing down.'
Mowbray suddenly stepped down as manager of the Blues in February after undergoing surgery.
He took a temporary leave of absence after eight games in charge, before officially resigning from the role in May.
The 60-year-old, who has managed a host of English clubs, is now on the road to recovery following surgery and has now spoken publicly about his bowel cancer diagnosis.
Mowbray told BBC Radio Tees: 'It's been the toughest year of my life. Out of the blue, my illness was diagnosed. My world came crashing down, really.
Former Birmingham manager Tony Mowbray has opened up on his cancer diagnosis
'The way I was going to the toilet had changed, so they had a look and I got diagnosed with bowel cancer. But when you get an illness like I got, it's about the family really.
'I remember sitting in a hospital bed, and my kids had tears in their eyes, not sure whether I was going to get through it or not, to be honest.
'I was very, very ill. Some days you were feeling ill, and others I would collapse and black out and find myself on the kitchen floor.'
He said: 'The message from myself, loud and clear, is that if there's something not normal, don't be afraid to go and see a doctor.
'It's worth it, because it's not only you, think about your family. If you've got kids, they want to see their dad until he's an old man, so they can take him on holiday or push him around in a wheelchair, or whatever it might be.'
Mowbray has spent the majority of his time back on his native Teesside since leaving his role at Birmingham and is grateful for the support he has received from locals.
He said: 'The football world on mass (has been great), not just the people of Teesside, although the people on Teesside have been extra special, of course.
Mowbray made a sudden departure from Birmingham after his illness was confirmed
'People have been stopping me on the street and giving me Mars bars. Some gentleman walking his dog, turned around, went in a shop, and then ran after me with the dog to give me a family bag of Revels.
'It's really, really, really humbling, and I thank everybody from the bottom of my heart.'
'I love football, and I do want to get back into the game. But today, I stand here and I'm not ready. I haven't got the energy required to be a football manager.
'But I will, I'm pretty sure. I'm going to take my amazing wife on holiday in the next couple of weeks, but in the new year, I'll see what's out there and what opportunities come, and hopefully my body is telling me that I'm ready to go.'
