Ex-Rovers defender Louie Annesley opens up about sepsis diagnosis

Annesley suffered a staph infection, caused by a bacteria known as staphylococcus, having felt pain in his groin following a 5-0 win over St Pat’s.

That was just his third game for the club on March 3, in which he scored his first goal, but Annesley hasn’t featured since and has gone into detail about his lay-off having returned to the matchday squad for the first time last week.

“I played Friday night and felt fine, came in Saturday and felt fine, went home Saturday evening and had a little twinge in my groin and thought nothing of it,” Annesley told the Dundalk official website.

“Then I started to struggle and didn’t sleep.

“I came in on Monday and was in a pretty bad way.

“I went up to the hospital in Dublin, had my bloods done and it turned out I had sepsis which is obviously isn’t great.

“It had travelled into the muscle in my groin and that’s why I’ve been out for the length of time I have.”

Annesley received the diagnosis upon his visit to hospital, but how he came to contract the infection hasn’t been determined.

“I was in the hospital for three weeks, and the first week was like a bit of a blur because I was on a lot of antibiotics and trying to find out what it was, how it got in,” he added.

“I wasn’t thinking too much about it there and then, but then, as I was getting a lot better, I started to think, God, like yeah, obviously this has hit me hard.

“I couldn’t walk for two, three weeks, so it was tough but I got my head around it pretty quickly.

“Everyone here has been really supportive and all the messages I got, I was really grateful for. It was annoying but I’m just happy to obviously be on the mend.

“I’m starting to ramp things up now and starting to get back in with the boys hopefully so it’s all looking good and positive at the moment.”

The Gibraltar international missed 14 league games and said it wasn’t a straightforward process upon his release from hospital.

He said: “It took it out of me.

“My whole left leg would have spasms, mostly in the groin and hip area, so walking was a no go.

“I’m back running now, back fit, but it did take it out of me.

“I was on crutches for a few days after.

“It was tough but back now hopefully.”

Annesley arrived at Rovers in January 2019, and after an initial trail period signed professional terms.

He had previously been with Gibraltar side Lincoln Red Imps, and it’s for the national team that he has played much of his senior football to date, winning 35 caps.

Annesley spent time out on loan while at Rovers, including Barnet earlier this season, but did make one senior appearance, the Carabao Cup second round win at Bradford.

However, with his contract coming to an end, Annesley was free to join Dundalk where he will look to get his club career up and running in the League of Ireland.

But he looks back on his time at Rovers with fondness, despite his lack of first-team opportunities.

He said: “It turned out to be the best decision ever and I really enjoyed my four years there.

“It was coming towards the end of my contract, I played well in the game and I was thinking ‘what if?’ but being around it, I knew I needed a few more games.

“But I really enjoyed my time there.

“I have nothing but respect for Blackburn, the four years I had there I was buzzing when I signed but happy to leave and come on this journey here.”