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In April 2011, Ed Harrison’s beloved Newcastle United were fighting for survival.

Across the Atlantic, he was fighting for his life.

To Toon fans around the world, Ed is known as the man behind the website nufcblog.com

Seven years ago, his world turned up side down when diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.

He zapped it into remission with radiotherapy but last year he received the bombshell it was back - with a vengeance.

“The cancer had metastasized,” said the dad-of-three, who said the disease had spread through his bones to ten different points.

(Image: Ian Johnson)

“It became stage four cancer - there is no stage five.

“There’s no going back when you have stage four cancer.

“While there are treatments, there is no cure.”

But rather than accept it, the retired IBM executive is fighting it.

Ed uses handfuls of custard creams along with the popular blog - which has had over 180 million visits - to help him during his darkest days.

“I was able to put some articles out for the blog and keep things going and in fact wrote some articles in the three hours it took to have each chemotherapy session,” recalled the 73-year-old.

(Image: Ian Johnson)

He started chemo alongside hormone treatment last year in a bid to live as long as possible.

“The chemo was a tough grind for sure but I saw people going through their treatments who showed so much courage, honesty and humanity - it was so humbling.

“In a strange way going in for a chemotherapy treatment was something I looked forward to - to get it over with and on schedule was one big reason.

“I had six separate treatments three weeks apart - and I often thought it was like going to heaven in a strange way.”

(Image: Ian Johnson)

But heaven isn’t a word Ed’s used very often to describe decades supporting the Toon.

He’s old enough to have experienced the joys of the Fairs Cup, and the lows of relegation.

But had things turned out differently, he could have even found himself playing in that legendary 1969 side.

A goalkeeper, Ed played for various Newcastle schoolboy sides before the Mags snapped him up in 1960 as a 15-year-old amateur.

(Image: Ian Johnson)

“I played for the Newcastle juniors with Bobby Moncur and others for one season - David Craig and Alan Suddick were there - we used to call Alan ‘Sooty’.

“Charlie Mitten was the manager in that first season we were relegated after finishing 8th the season before - but honest - it wasn’t my fault!”

He later represented England’s university team for two years while a Newcastle University post-grad, having studied at King’s College in London.

But Ed’s career ended on the pitch.

“I had a very severe double fracture of my left leg playing For the UAU against the England Amateur side at Hillsborough - both tibia and fibula bones were snapped straight through - and they had to give me morphine on the pitch,”

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“I was in shock but remember the leg was swinging when I was falling after being kicked in the leg during a collision with the centre forward.

“On the ground my left leg took a left turn - it was so weird.”

With his leg in a cast for four months, Ed finished his studies.

His electrical engineering degree gave him a glittering career off the pitch, moving to America 45 years ago with wife Madeline.

It is from his home on the outskirts of Raleigh, North Carolina, where he runs the blog.

The disease initially came as a surprise as he had no real symptoms.

“I was at high risk with my father having had some prostate cancer,” he said.

“Just the fact I had cancer and it was a complete shock at first until I was able to take it all in and deal with it.”

Now he is focused on seeing his family, staying healthy - and seeing United have a good transfer window.

And while he puts his health in the hands of the “fantastic” doctors and nurses, the latter is in the hands of someone he has just as much faith in.

“Rafa is the man alright,” said Ed.

“He’s simply perfect for Newcastle.”