Chesterfield defender Laurence Maguire opens up about battle with illness and injury

The centre-back could not take part in any exercise for two months between September and November 2019.

Maguire woke one morning with chest pains which gradually got worse.

He was sent for a scan and he was diagnosed with pericarditis - inflammation on the heart.

“It was a really weird illness,” he told the DT. “I played a game on Saturday and on Monday morning I woke up with chest pains. We did not know what it was and it just got worse and worse. I went for a scan and it came back that I had something called pericarditis which is inflammation on the heart so I had to keep away from training, do nothing, have four to six weeks. I went to see a doctor in London and he gave me the all-clear to get back into training. It was tough but these things happen and it is all about how you come back from them.”

The 24-year-old then dislocated his knee on Boxing Day against Solihull Moors.

The situation was made worse by the pandemic which meant he had to train alone when working his way back to fitness after having an operation.

“It was really tough mentally and it did not help with what was going on with Covid as well,” he said. “It did not help with the recovery. I had to do a lot of things on my own. The physio was really good with me but obviously we could not see each other so it was tough. I am mentally strong and I have got a lot of good people around me and they helped me and I just concentrated on getting back fit for the start of pre-season and I was really happy how I did that.”

Maguire has had nine permanent managers during his time at the Blues and it he admits it has not been easy.

He added: "It has been difficult. When you feel like you are just getting a run in the team and you feel like you are playing well and a manager gets sacked and a new one comes in you have got to keep trying to impress.”