Darren Fletcher feels that being more open about colitis will help those who suffer from it [GETTY]
Fletcher said he was too embarrassed to open up to the other players about the ulcerative colitis condition that eventually forced him out of the game for the best part of two years.
After three operations, the Scotland captain has made a full recovery, reclaimed a place in United’s squad and yesterday spoke candidly about the early days of the illness.
"I remember when I first got diagnosed, being very blasé about it," said Fletcher, who turned 30 last Saturday.
"Looking back now, that was quite immature, but I was a professional footballer, playing in the Premier League, for Manchester United, and felt on top of the world, felt untouchable.
"But I want people to take it really seriously if they do get diagnosed and know the impact it can have on their lives, and what it can lead to.
"At first my symptoms were very small and it didn't have any real impact on my life or career at all.
"It wasn't until it came back, in 2010, that I started my real battle with ulcerative colitis, which, ultimately, I've had to undergo surgical procedures to be sitting here today and to continue my career.
Fletcher and Lewis Moody helped launch the Crohn's and Colitis charity [GETTY]
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"The biggest thing is awareness. I stayed silent until about 2011 or 2012, because it's not something you generally talk about, the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. My close family and friends knew, but nobody else knew at the club.
"I found it very difficult making up stories, reasons why I wasn't at training, why I was looking ill, why I was rushing off to the bathroom. I found that very difficult, making up stories and basically lying to people's faces.”
Fletcher and former England rugby captain Lewis Moody, who also suffers from the disease, were speaking at the launch of United For Colitis, a fund-raising initiative in aid of the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK.
When Fletcher plucked up the courage to tell his team-mates, he admits it was a huge burden off his shoulders - and he has since been inundated with letters of thanks from fellow sufferers and their families.
He added: "Once I started talking about it and made it public knowledge, it was such a relief, it was the best thing I did. Although I still suffered with the symptoms, it did help me a lot.
"I was worried about fans, team-mates, banter, all that side of things, but I tell you, everyone has been fantastic; United supporters, away fans, everyone has been so respectful towards me.
"My team-mates want to put their support to something they know means a lot to me and try to help awareness.
"I've had so many letters from mums, dads and children, about how easy it's made their lives, the fact they can go to school and, instead of having to explain ulcerative colitis, they can simply say 'I've got the same illness as Darren Fletcher'.
"That has made it so much easier for their lives, and it just shows how talking about it can help people. I drew inspiration from Lewis Moody and Sir Steve Redgrave, and hopefully I can add my name to that list."
Moody has described how tough it was dealing with colitis while playing rugby [GETTY]
Former Leicester and Bath flanker Moody paid tribute to Fletcher and spoke of his own battle with the condition and how he also felt compelled to suffer in silence.
"The awareness Darren has been able to generate through getting back on to the pitch and the success he's had in battling chron's and colitis is, for me, just a massive positive," said Moody.
"I was diagnosed in 2005. Doctors told me I'd be on drugs and medication for my whole life, that it was an illness that you wouldn't be able to get rid of, which was quite harrowing information to hear.
"In terms of the impact on my life, being more than two or three feet from a toilet at any given time can sometimes be too far.
"I used to live 40 minutes from Leicester's training ground and used to have to plan my route there, because in a car for that long with ulcerative colitis means you can be stopping 10 or 11 times to find a loo, so I had to move nearer the training ground.
"I hid it for two or three years before I decided to tell my coach and my team-mates, which made it much easier to deal with."
Fletcher and Moody were speaking at the launch of United For Colitis, a fund-raising initiative in aid of the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK.
The pair will host a gala dinner at Old Trafford on March 27 to raise funds for the charity and raise awareness of Crohn's and Colitis.
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