Travis Munn: Playing again after life-threatening illness is a ‘wonderful’ feeling

Former professional footballer Travis Munn says being able to play again seven months after fearing he was dying was a “wonderful” feeling.

Munn turned out for non-league Borrowash Victoria in a pre-season friendly on Saturday after recovering from scleroderma, a life-threatening degenerative auto-immune disease.

The 25-year-old told BBC Sport: “It was very emotional.

“My wife and kids were there, which was amazing, and my mum was crying.”

Munn, who has signed for the season with the East Midlands Counties League side, managed 80 minutes in the 3-0 win before having to be substituted – but that early departure was nothing to do with fitness.

“I had some new boots and got some bad blisters so had to come off towards the end,” he explained. “But I felt pretty fit and I really enjoyed it.

“My old manager from Boston, Jason Lee, came down and it was great to be out there again.”

Munn, who was on the books at Mansfield and then played for Boston before he was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2016, said he would relish the chance of playing in the English Football League, but is not thinking too far ahead.

“That’s the dream but I will see how my body goes,” he said, reflecting for his debut for Borrowash, who play in level 10 of the English football pyramid.

“There is more to life than football. I am so grateful for the all the support I have had and I am happy to helping to raise awareness about the disease and help others who may be going through what I have been through.”

What is scleroderma?

Scleroderma is an uncommon condition that varies in severity and results in hard, thickened areas of skin and sometimes problems with internal organs and blood vessels.