Stephen Mcphail...................

<p class="ss-text-bold">Stephen McPhail will be absent for Cardiff's clash at home to Crystal Palace after having a lump removed from his neck. </p>

The midfielder largely kept the problem to himself but went to get the lump checked out when he realised it was getting bigger.</p>

The 29-year-old was given the all-clear following scans but doctors still thought it best that the lump should be removed.</p>

The former Leeds ace arranged to undergo surgery during the international break so as to limit the number of games he would miss whilst recovering.</p>

&quot;I've had a lump on my neck for some time now and left it for a few months because I just got back in the side,&quot; he told the South Wales Echo.</p>

&quot;But it had become bigger and bigger in the last few weeks and, with the international break coming up, I decided to go to the specialists and get it sorted.</p>

&quot;It's inflammation of the glands, the operation took place just under my jaw line and I wasn't really worried about it to tell you the truth - but it never went away.</p><h4>Specialist</h4>

&quot;Straight after the Watford game I went to see the specialists for what I thought was a minor operation.</p>

&quot;I was originally told it would be a 20-minute in-and-out operation - then when I woke up it was two-and-a-half hours later.</p>

&quot;Once they opened me up, they found out the lump was four to five times bigger than they originally thought.&quot;</p>

The news will come as a surprise to most Bluebirds fans but McPhail reveals he even kept the operation from his own parents.</p>

&quot;I had a scan and once the specialist looked at the lump his first reaction was that there was nothing to worry about,&quot; he added.</p>

&quot;But I didn't mention it too much to the family. I didn't tell my mum and dad because of the worry it might cause and the fact that my wife and I just had a baby boy three weeks ago - that took my mind off things a bit.</p>

&quot;Obviously certain things go through your mind - but it didn't stop me doing things.</p>

&quot;I just didn't want it to affect my place in the team, that's why I knew the operation had to be done in the international break.&quot;</p>

</p><h5>Raring to go</h5>

McPhail has rejoined his team-mates in training this week and is determined to regain his place in the side for Tuesday's match with Coventry.</p>

&quot;The main thing is it's out and being tested, with the results expected on Monday,&quot; he stated.</p>

&quot;If it was not for the staple stitches I would have been back in training a lot earlier, but there you go, the problem was that the surgeon had to cut the muscle to get at the lump, so he had to stitch the muscle as well.</p>

&quot;Obviously if the all-clear is given, then I will feel fine to play on Tuesday against Coventry City.</p>

&quot;It's a case of fingers crossed, because physically I'm fit and ready to go again. I've been training with the lads this week and feel fine, it's a case of let's just get on with it.&quot;</p>

 

Good to hear that it's nothing more serious such has cancer.