"I was never told I wouldn't play again and so I never even considered that," he told M.E.N. Sport.
"There was never a point when I thought this was going to cost me my career. There were times when I thought it probably wouldn't get fully better, but I always had it in the back of my head that if it didn't I would just play on anyway.
"Even if my vision in the right eye is still blurred when I am given the all clear to play again I still expect to return as good as ever. I am convinced I will be okay next season.
"It would be a waste of time coming back to play if I didn't think I can get back to my full ability. I want to play well, score goals and do something for the team again.
"The last couple of years haven't been great for me form-wise. I am trying to forget that now and look forward to getting back playing, and playing well. Hopefully, the rest will have done me good. I can't guarantee it will have, but that is what I am hoping for.
"It has made a change after so many years travelling around and staying away from home to have been with the family the last four months. I have three kids to look after, so that does take up your time. It has been
"But I certainly don't fancy retirement just yet. I still want to carry on for a few more years. I signed a two-year extension to my contract last August that takes me 2009.
He then went on to dismiss the rumours which circulated about his illness
"I knew it was more than just nothing and I knew it was serious,"
"But there is a lot of rubbish written in the papers and some of them were even door-stepping at my dad's house trying to find out what was wrong.
"They weren't given the whole facts, so people just guessed. I knew what they were speculating about and what was being said but I knew it wasn't what they thought, so it didn't affect me.
"I knew what was wrong and that was all that mattered.
"I couldn't have played on at the time it began because it was dangerous to continue due to the threat of raising my blood pressure.
"There was haemorrhaging in the right eye and if my blood pressure had increased whilst playing then it could have possibly caused further problems. The specialists wouldn't let me play at that time.
"Time will tell how much better it gets and if it clears completely. I test it every day by putting my hand over my left eye and seeing if it has improved. It's hard to tell but I can't read too well with it. In fact I am as blind as a bat!