Former Rangers defender Connor Goldson has opened up on his second heart operation - and insists he will soon be back playing football after an incredibly quick turnaround.
The centre-back went through open heart surgery for the second time in his career, this time on the operating table for 12 hours. The first time was back in his Brighton days as a young player.
He admits it has been a whirlwind after an issue was flagged up from a routine health check out in Cyprus, where he plays for Apollon Limassol after signing from rivals Aris.
Opening up to Ally McCoist and Alan Brazil on talkSPORT, he said: "It’s been a whirlwind. I said to my wife last week, I feel like I haven't even processed this one. Obviously, I had the first one in 2017. That one was again a routine check-up. I've never felt anything. I've never been on a pitch and collapsed or felt any pain in my chest or anything. I’ve always been fit, always been healthy. I had a routine check-up then at Brighton and they found I had a swollen aortic root, so it was too big. They said obviously if it pops, you’re dead, basically straight away.
"And then this time, it’s been the same size now for nine years, so it’s never changed since the first operation. In Cyprus, you need a card, basically a health ID card it’s called. So every year you have to go for your heart check-up, bloods check-up, get them all done, and then you get given a card. The last two years, obviously I’ve had that done, been fine.
"And then this year I went and the guy said to me my measurements had gone up. And I was like, impossible, for nine years it’s been the same size. Went to another specialist the next day, he was like, yeah, it’s gone up. And then I was like, right, get me back to England. I need to see my own surgeon, my own specialist. I went back and he said, yeah, it’s gone up, so you will need another operation.
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"Then I was like to him, right, how quick can you get me in? Because I’ve just signed for a new team, I want to play. He said you can play football again, no problem. So I was like how quick can you get me in? It was like 10 days. So I came back here, had a few days with the kids, watched my son at football training every day, he was at a football camp, and then got to London, had the op, and on the road to recovery.
"The people there in Cyprus, the first two people I saw were like, forget football. You’ve got a family of three, beautiful kids, beautiful wife, just focus on those. Then I went to see my surgeon, who's like the best in the world probably at these operations. He’s so confident, arrogant but in a good way. He’s just like, mate, you have the operation, 12 weeks you’re fit. Just let the bone heal, you’ll be fine. And I’m like okay, but they said in Cyprus I might need to retire and forget about football. He was like, my friend, why do you think they come to England for heart operations? They come to see me because I’m the best in the world. So I tell you you can play. You need to exercise, you need to have a healthy heart. Even if you don’t play football, I tell you every day to go to the gym and to run, to exercise. So in 12 weeks, go play football, you’re okay. And I was like, okay, no problem, I’ll play."
Despite receiving some advice from people at his club to take as long as he needs away from the game, Goldson is remarkably looking to get back within weeks.
Connor Goldson on @talkSPORT discussing his recent second heart surgery Great to see the big man doing well in recovery 💙 pic.twitter.com/wyztr19BxE
— Shorty (@ShonaMcLean86) August 19, 2026
That comes after that encouraging advice from his surgeon, and he has been given the all-clear at a follow-up appointment.
He is already back doing light training and is targeting a return to full contact when possible.
Goldson added: "I'm really good. The recovery is going really well. I’m back on the pitch, back training, obviously only one-to-one with the fitness coach because I'm not allowed contact with anyone yet because my chest bone's broken in half. But no, apart from that, I’m good. I'm playing football, I'm running every day, so I’m feeling good.
"I'm itching to get back, especially now I'm back on the pitch. I’m playing with a ball, I’m running five kilometers in my sessions. So I think the surgeon said to me 12 weeks for this bone to heal. The heart’s fine straight away. I had the follow-up with him 10 days ago, he gave me the all-clear, everything’s good with the heart. So now it's just this chest bone basically healing. He said 12 weeks, I’m five weeks down, so if you look, another seven weeks maybe to go. During that time, I’ll get fit and get ready and then we'll see after that."
