Hull City star Ryan Mason has thanked Arsenal keeper Petr Cech for helping him out during his recovery from a skull fracture.

Mason almost died on the pitch after colliding his head with Chelsea's Gary Cahill last season. The 26-year-old underwent a brain surgery following the injury.

Cech suffered a similar injury in 2006, and he continues to wear his protective headgear to this day. Mason says that the Czech keeper has been available throughout his recovery, and has even visited him at home.

Mason told talkSPORT: "I can't speak highly enough of Petr Cech. He's set the standards of what it is to be a proper man and a gentleman.

"Straightaway [after the incident] he contacted my family and my fiancée and reassured us that what we were going through was normal and to be expected, with not being able to talk and struggling with light and everything like that.

"As soon as I got a bit more strength I was keen to see him because he said, 'as soon as you're ready, I'd like to come round and speak to you'.

"I think it was after about eight or nine weeks he came round. I was a bit worried at first because I hadn't really spoken to anyone for longer than ten minutes.

"He walked through the door, sat on my sofa and said, 'just sit back, don't say anything, just listen' and he spoke for about an hour and a half.

"I didn't say anything, he just spoke and it was brilliant because when he left my partner said, 'wow, the things we were a little bit worried about…' It just reassured us that everything we were going through was part of the process of recovery.

"We've been in touch ever since. He's been round to the house again and we speak on the phone regularly. He's been fantastic."

"I'm sure if someone goes through that again [what we've been through] we'll be fighting to be there for them and to support them.

"It gave me such strength, hearing him explain how much of a positive impact it can have on someone.

"I'm hoping no one ever does go through that sort of injury again in sport but, if they do, I will be there [for them] like Petr was for me."