Former Norwich City manager Chris Hughton has revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.
Fortunately, the cancer was detected early, and the former Canaries manager underwent successful surgery in May, confirming that his rehabilitation is proceeding as anticipated.
Hughton is now cancer-free, but he hopes that making his diagnosis public will encourage others to get examined for prostate cancer, which is now the most common cancer in the UK and typically presents with no symptoms in its early stages.
The 67-year-old, whose previous managerial role was as Ghana manager in 2024, picked up on the warning symptoms when at Brighton during a normal yearly health check conducted by the League Managers Association, and Hughton was classified as high-risk.
“The news certainly did not scare me. I realize everyone is different, but my immediate thought was, ‘I’ll be alright.’
“I didn’t immediately think ‘This is probably going to kill me,'” Hughton told the Daily Mail. “I just thought: “Okay, we’ll have to do what we have to do.”
“I received excellent advice and was presented with all available treatment options before deciding to have my prostate removed.”
“The recovery has gone really well. I’m one year post-op and doing great. Everything went extremely well. I have a lot of energy.
“Being active and busy is just part of who I am, but it’s also about rehabilitation and keeping your mind active. I’m quite satisfied with my prognosis and post-operative sensations. I’m in a very nice place.”
Hughton has managed 169 Premier League games, including 71 in charge of the Canaries from 2012 to 2014. He also spent time with Newcastle United, Brighton, Birmingham, and Nottingham Forest.
Laura Kerby, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, told the BBC that Chris’ experience is ultimately good. The football player’s experience serves as a timely warning of the dangers of prostate cancer, and we appreciate him sharing it with the community to help males.Prostate cancer is now the most frequent disease in the UK, although it remains the only major cancer without a screening program. It does not show signs or symptoms in its early stages, when it is more curable, thus vigilance is key.”
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