FORMER Trowbridge Town midfielder John Woods is planning a return to football next season after revealing he has almost won his five-month fight against cancer.

The Corsham Town player assistant manager shocked the Wiltshire football world when he announced the diagnosis in March but has now revealed better news this week.

After his intense programme of four, week-long sessions of chemotherapy ended on Saturday, Woods received a huge boost on Tuesday when he was told the results of the treatment.

At the time of the diagnosis he had a blood tumour mark level of 9,000 but this is now down to 25 meaning the end of his ordeal is most definitely in sight.

He said: "I am not jumping around yet because the magic number is 10 but it is certainly very good news because in January the blood tumour mark was very high.

"I came out of chemotherapy on Saturday and they say it keeps working the week after so hopefully by next week it will have dropped nearer to the 10 mark.

"On Wednesday I will have a scan in Bath to finalise everything and then hopefully it can all be put to bed."

Woods described the intensive chemotherapy treatment as very tiring but is hoping last week's session will be the last .

He said: "I am not feeling too bad but I am very tired. I had a zero blood cell count because my immune system was pretty shot so I was lacking energy.

"The results have definitely given everyone a lift."

Woods, 32, has enjoyed countless highlights in his football career as he has built a reputation as one of the top non-league players in the area over the past 10 years.

He won consecutive promotions at Chippenham Town, from the Screwfix League to the Doc Martins Premier, and played for the Bluebirds at Wembley in the 2000 FA Vase final.

He has also enjoyed spells at Paulton Rovers, Calne Town, Salisbury City and Devizes Town, reaching two Les Phillips Cup finals, and insists his playing days are far from over.

He said: "Myself and Colin Bush have already started talking about new players for next season and I am already looking forward to it. I see returning as a player as a great challenge because it would be far too easy to knock it on the head.

"I need the challenge and I want to prove to myself that I can come through this."

Woods' has raised £600 for Dorothy House, with a charity match at Chippenham planned in the summer, and received an emotional standing ovation at Corsham's end-of-season presentation night last week.'