5 players who played again after a "career ending" illness

The sight of Jonás Gutiérrez returning to play in a Newcastle shirt after recovering from testicular cancer almost made the result of his team’s loss to Manchester United insignificant.

Here is a tribute to the players who have fought back against the odds to return to a football field after they were told they may never play again.

ERIC ABIDAL

Éric Sylvain Abidal was diagnosed with a tumour on his liver in March, 2011 and underwent surgery soon after.

Amazingly, he returned to the Barcelona side not long after and played the full 90 minutes of the Champions League final against Manchester United that season - lifting the trophy at the insistence of his team mates.

A year later he had a liver transplant due to complications with his illness, but he came back from that too and played on for another two seasons with Lyon and Monaco in France.

DARREN FLETCHER

The Scottish international was struggling to hold down a place in the Manchester United team after a series of illnesses when he revealed he had ulcerative collitis in late 2011.

Fletcher took an extended break from the game and returned for the start of the 2012/13 season.

In early 2013 the midfielder was forced to undergo surgery to ease the illness and he did not play again that season.

His return to the United fold in late 2013 was greeted with joy by many fans and at the beginning of this season he was announced as United's vice-captain by new manager Louis van Gaal.

Fletcher left United in the January transfer window seeking more regular first-team football at West Bromwich Albion but he is highly regarded by United fans and it is widely believed that if he had not been suspended for the 2009 Champions League final against Barcelona, United may have won.

NWANKWO KANU

The Nigerian was a star in the Premier League but just a year before winning a League and Cup double with Arsenal in 1998, Kanu had surgery to replace an aortic valve in his heart.

However, he didn't let his condition hold him back and he was still playing in 2008 and went on to win the FA Cup with Portsmouth that year.

LEE SHARPE

The flying winger had much of his career blighted by injury but it was viral meningitis that threatened to end his career in 1992.

Luckily for Sharpe he didn't not contract bacterial meningitis and had only to rest and bide his time to return to the game but there were major concerns for his career at the time.

JONAS GUTIERREZ

The Argentine midfielder was suffering a dip in form in 2014 when his problems were compounded by a a testicular cancer diagnosis.

After missing a season and a half while in treatment Gutiérrez, returned to the Newcastle team against Manchester United last night to a rapturous reception.