Gary Mabbutt was born on August the 23rd 1961, he began playing football for Bristol Rovers before joining Tottenham Hotspur first division team. Gary has type 1 diabetes.
It was at this club he became captain and proceeded to lead his team to victory by winning the FA cup.
He also won 16 caps playing for England and although was usually found playing a central defence role, scored a goal in the notorious 1986 match against Yugoslavia.
Type 1 diabetes
Gary Mabbutt has type 1 diabetes He was diagnosed by the Bristol Rovers club doctor aged 17 complaining of typical diabetes symptoms such as:
- Excessive thirst
- Being lethargic and
- Running out of energy quickly despite being physically fit
However, this did not shatter his ambitions to be the first diabetic to play for England.
Throughout his long football career possibly more so after his retirement, Mabbutt used his celebrity status to create awareness about the diabetes condition and has served as a role model to many children with diabetes.
Mabbutt once appeared on the children’s television show Blue Peter where he injected an orange with insulin to show viewers the effect having the condition had on his day to day life.
Diabetes charity work
In addition to this he has worked with Diabetes UK , the leading diabetes charity, and has frequently used the saying that you shouldn’t live your life around diabetes but work the condition around your life.
