Former Crystal Palace, Crewe Alexandra and England midfielder Geoff Thomas is certain that Stiliyan Petrov will get the best care possible after he was diagnosed with leukaemia today.
47-year old Thomas beat the blood disease after being diagnosed with it in 2003 so knows very well the treatment the Bulgarian will receive in the West Midlands and is sure the Villa skipper will be given every chance to recover.
"My thoughts go to him and his family. I know exactly where he will be at the moment, it's something totally out of the blue.
"It's a case of taking all the information over the next couple of days and then deciphering everything and then getting on with putting your life in the professionals hands.
"Here in Birmingham we've got tremendous skills in haematology and the doctors are fantastic people so I'm sure he'll be in good, safe hands.
"I think it's more aggressive than the illness I had, it's something that has to be dealt with pretty quickly and it's [a case of] going straight onto chemotherapy and getting into a routine.
"I'm confident that the guys will look after him and hopefully as soon as possible get him back on the football pitch.""You are shocked with any news like this, but with somebody so young and so fit I think it always becomes more shocking," Thomas told Sky Sports News.
