Stiliyan Petrov hoping to make Aston Villa return after beating leukaemia

Petrov has been training with the Under-21s for months

(getty)

Former Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov will attempt to return to professional football next season, four years after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

The 36-year-old last played a match in March 2012 but has revealed he will try and play for Villa in the Championship next season.

Petrov had been playing for an amateur side but returned to training with the club's Under-21s at the start of the year and believes he is now fit enough for a return to first-team action.

"I'm looking forward to a return to football again," he told the Daily Mail at a Stiliyan Petrov Foundation golf day.

"I've told Aston Villa that I'm ready to start a pre-season with them. Obviously they will always have the first look.

"I've been working close to the idea for a year and a half and I've managed to come a long way. I started gradually with slow runs then I moved to five-a-side and then 11-a-side and half a pitch, then Sunday League.

"I've been given permission to train with Villa Under-21s for the last four months. We've done a couple of tests in the last two weeks and my fitness is getting close to when I retired. I'm really excited and I understand the odds will be against me."


 Petrov played more than 200 matches for Villa 
 (GETTY IMAGES)

Petrov, who played more than 200 matches in six seasons at Villa Park, went through three years of chemotherapy but has stayed close to Villa, even coaching the youngsters at one point.

He joined Aston Villa for £6.5million in August 2006, when Martin O'Neill was in charge.

The midfielder, who also won 105 caps for Bulgaria, won four Scottish Premier League titles under O'Neill at Celtic, playing more than 300 matches for the Bhoys.

He added: "People will be asking a lot of questions and having a lot of doubts.

"Obviously I wasn't one of these players who sprinted in wide positions. I'll be playing in a position that for me has always been five-to-ten yards. You can gain that with hard work.

"I'm really excited because of how far I have come. The Foundation deal with a lot of people who work hard to get back to their natural life after treatment so I want to show people that there is a life after treatment and you can step on your own feet and get fitter.

"I'm getting fitter, I'm getting my life back to like what it used to be and it's a way forward. I deal with a lot of people who struggle to get their life back on track after going through treatment like that.

"It's hard. The family, the future, it's dark out there. I've got it in my mind, even if it doesn't happen, I've tried. It was taken away from me. I've worked hard all my life to be a footballer and it was taken away from me. I've been given a chance again to do it.

"I'm 36, but players are playing at 38, 39,40. I've looked after myself well and I think I've got a good shout."