Jets rising star Johnny Koutroumbis missed the start of the A-League season when club doctors found a lump on his neck that turned out to be stage 1 thyroid cancer.

Remarkably only six weeks after surgery to remove the cancerous gland, the right back returned to the Jets' matchday squad for the round six game against Melbourne City.

Koutroumbis told FTBL he is buzzing to get back on the pitch to re-start his career but added that just being on bench during the past few weeks has made him very happy.

“It felt really good just to be out there to hear the atmosphere,” he said. “It was a little bit nerve racking but it was more exciting to be back in the squad and it felt normal again.

“I wouldn’t say I’m 100% fit yet. I can play whenever the coach decides to play me.

“First I want to come off the bench then the next step is try and get myself into the starting 11 and after that who knows.

“It’s also about keeping healthy and your mental health, always looking forward and thinking things are going to be all right.

“I think to myself if you are happy you are going to play your best football.”

Koutroumbis revealed that the outpouring he received from football supporters and opposition players around the country during his health scare meant a lot to him.

“I had hundreds of messages from different fans from all around Australia,” he said. “It was great to read them it was a big boost while I was in hospital. It was great support.

“Also the big tifo of the Koutroumbis shirt by Bay One Jets fans was incredible to see from the stands. It was very heart-warming to see how much support I had, especially in Newcastle.

“In Wellington the week that I got diagnosed they put it on the big screen for me to get well.

“When I did come back for the Melbourne City, Brisbane and last weekend’s game players approached me and said, ‘You have done well to recover from this and you are an inspiration.’

“So things like this do bring people closer together and the Australian football community really gets together in these sorts of times and difficulties.”

After being lucky with his diagnosis, Koutroumbis feels strongly about using his experience to implore the wider community to get themselves checked if they find themselves in a similar situation.

“I’m not a person to be in the limelight or the spotlight but in times like this it doesn’t bother me, I want to share the awareness of getting checks regularly so this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” he said.

“As a footballer we have a bit of the limelight. No-one wants to see anyone get sick like that and you wouldn’t want anything like that to happen to anyone else.”