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‘I wasn’t dreaming’ – Chris Kamara thanks Middlesbrough fans for touching tribute as star battles speech apraxia


CHRIS KAMARA has thanked Middlesbrough fans after they unfurled a supportive banner amid his battle with speech apraxia.

A tearful Kamara, 64, recently revealed that he felt like “a fraud” when watching his broadcasts back.

Middlesbrough fans unveiled a touching message to one of their own KammyCredit: Twitter@chris_kammy
Popular pundit Chris Kamara has opened up on his health battlesCredit: Getty

The disorder causes difficulty speaking, with Kammy recently saying: “It feels like someone has taken over my voice box.”

While appearing on the Diary Of A CEO podcast, a watery-eyed Kamara bravely discussed his condition, admitting: “I feel a fraud now in terms of broadcasting – I don’t bring to the table what I used to.”

The Soccer Saturday legend, who left the show at the end of last season, remains an English football favourite – a point that Middlesbrough fans were keen to stress yesterday.

During their match with Rotherham at the Riverside, Boro supporters unveiled a banner in response to Kammy’s comments.

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It read: “You’re not a fraud. You’re unbelievable Kammy.”

Local boy Kamara was moved by the fans’ gesture, writing on Twitter: “Wow that is “Unbelievable Jeff” Thank You.”

This morning he was still feeling touched, tweeting: “I wasn’t dreaming last night did happen.

“Thanks so much to all the Boro fans who made it happen.”

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In a recent chat with the Daily Star, Kamara said: “Ten months ago, I could hardly talk.

“The words hardly came out. My voice is my life at the moment. As a broadcaster, I need my voice and I need it to be spot on.

“So I could have gone away and gone into the background. I wanted to pack it all in.

“But ITV bosses wouldn’t hear of it. Channel 4, Channel 5 and the BBC were exactly the same.

“Even now, some days I wake up and think, ‘Why am I doing this? There are people better than me out there who are more qualified’.”

Despite quitting Soccer Saturday, Kamara has remained busy this season.

He hosts ITV’s Ninja Warrior UK and works on the BBC’s Proper Football podcast with long-time telly partner Ben Shephard.

Kammy co-hosts a podcast with old pal Ben ShephardCredit: Getty


Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk


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