Man Utd midfielder Fletcher admits mystery virus was nightmare experience

03.09.11 | tribalfootball.com

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher admits his mystery virus this summer was a nightmare experience.

The 27-year-old — who has yet to feature for United this season — will skipper Scotland against the Czech Republic at Hampden today.

And he admits he's been to hell and back in a bid to get fit.

Fletcher said: "I had a bad virus, a stomach infection.

"The biggest thing was the weight loss. I lost close to a stone which for someone like me — I don't have a stone to lose — was massive.

"That was the biggest thing, building my strength back up and putting my weight back on was a real struggle.

"I was stuck in bed for two weeks.

"But I had constant reassurance from the doctor that it was a bit of bad luck, a combination of different things that had a domino effect which set me back.

"I am a positive person so I expected to be back the next week, then it was a week later, and then I thought the next week.

"I just had to eat as much as I could to try to put it back on but even that is a struggle for me.

"I just ate as much as I could, protein shakes, meal replacements drinks."