Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer hail Alan Hansen as a 'fighter' as pundits 'pray' for Scots icon

Alan Hansen's former Match of the Day colleagues have hailed the Scotland icon as he battles a serious illness in hospital. The footballing world was shocked last weekend when news broke about the ex-Partick Thistle and Liverpool star's health issues.

The Merseyside club announced in a statement on Sunday that Hansen was seriously ill in hospital. His former teammates and clubs have praised the legendary centre-half, with tributes flooding in from across the sporting community.

After hanging up his boots, Hansen was a respected pundit and worked on BBC's Match of the Day for years, often sharing a panel with former England strikers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.

And the pair took a moment out from their pre-match analysis of Italy vs Albania to offer their support to Hansen and his loved ones. The Scotland cap was branded a "fighter" and his former punditry colleagues backed him to recover.

Lineker said: "It's been a tough week for everyone associated with Match of the Day. The news that Alan Hansen was seriously ill in hospital shocked us all, didn't it, Alan?"

Shearer replied: "Absolutely. We all are great friends with Al. We know his character, we know he's a fighter, we know how tough he is. We're thinking of you big man, we're with you, and we're hoping and praying for you."

Lineker then added: "Everyone at Match of the Day sends love and thoughts to Janet, Lucy, and Adam - and the grandchildren.

"To use an analogy of Alan's favourite pastime, golf, you might be three down with four to play, but if anyone can come back from that, it's Alan. I've never known a more competitive person in my life. We're all with you, Big Al."

Earlier this week, Hansen's former Scotland teammate Graeme Souness called on people to keep the stricken defender in their prayers as he faced the "fight of his life".

Souness, who also played alongside Hansen at Liverpool, said: "It's hard to find a bad word about him. He's a rascal when it comes to humour, he was very smart with that.

"I, like every person who comes across him or listened to him on the television, say a little prayer for him. He is one of life's good guys. Please god, we're all saying a prayer for him that he gets through this."

He added: "I had the pleasure of playing with him, he was an absolute dream for a midfield player. He passed the ball at the right weight at the right time from the right angle.

“Just a super football player, I believe the best footballing centre-half ever. I know that’s some statement but I really believe that. I seen him close up and he was a real quality performer.

“And as a human being. You know when people are in trouble with illness people say ‘they’re a great guy’ or ‘they were a great guy’. I’m telling you, he was a great guy.

“He’s a strange breed because I think you’d have to search a long, long way to find anyone to say a bad word about him. That takes some doing and his chat and his chat and his banter was top class, he was just a pleasure to be around. He’s in the fight of his life right now and we should all say a little prayer for him.”

Hansen, who turned 69 on Thursday, won 26 caps for Scotland between 1979 and 1987. As a teenager, he joined his older brother John at Partick Thistle before making a big money move to Merseyside.

In a glittering Liverpool career, he won the league seven times, the European Cup three times, and was inducted into both the English and Scottish football Halls of Fame for his achievements on the pitch.

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