TThe pain came quickly, like a shot to the thigh. Matt Forde was only moderately worried when he performed at the Edinburgh Festival, but still wanted to see a doctor quickly. It was probably a slipped disc pressing on a nerve, they said. But it wasn’t long before his world was thrown into turmoil.

An MRI scan revealed a cancerous tumor called a chordoma on the underside of his back. “At that point, you don’t know how life is going to go,” says Forde, who was told that a life-changing operation to remove the base of his spine was his only option if he wanted to survive.

Waiting for the surgery “was like knowing I was going to be in a car accident. It would be traumatic and painful and it would take a long time to recover from, but it was for my own good.”

A year later, Forde is in better health and in good spirits. He has a stoma and colostomy bag for life and needs temporary walking sticks, but is practically back on his feet. He thanks his wife and the amazing staff at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, north-west London, for helping him get through it. His other main coping mechanism? Football.

“When I was in a lot of pain, nothing helped me get out of it better. I had to stop watching Married at First Sight because the arguments on that show made the pain worse. Football, on the other hand, is a total immersion.

“For an hour and a half you forget that you are hanging on sticks, that you have cancer and that you are in pain. It is a drug, it is like voodoo witchcraft. There is no drug that makes you feel like you are playing football at the highest level.”

As a Nottingham Forest and England fan, Forde has experienced many ups and downs. But the kindness and goodwill he received from the club went far beyond football. Former manager Steve Cooper called him regularly, he received videos from Harry Toffolo and Anthony Elanga; Ryan Yates and Joe Worrall were regular contacts. He even received a visit from a childhood idol.

“Stuart Pearce came to the hospital a couple of times. We didn’t always talk about football, but about life and music. He is phenomenal, a very special person. He had heard that I had cancer from a mutual friend, Jonny Owen, who is on the board of Forest. I had met Stuart a couple of times before but I was never quite sure if he remembered me.

“Stuart was so insightful. His advice was about how social circles work, how some friends approach me and others don’t, it was about sociology and psychology. His visits were so entertaining.”

It wasn’t just the direct help from Forest that ensured Forde could see the light at the end of the tunnel. During his darkest days in his hospital bed, he imagined he was at the City Ground. It was his therapy.

“When I was at my lowest ebb, I would tell myself that I existed in the future. I would basically talk to my future self and say, ‘We’ll get through this, we’ll go to the pub, we’ll do comedy again and we’ll go to football matches again.’ It was like time travel.”

And so it happened. When he was back on his feet, Forest invited him to a game – and onto the pitch before kick-off. As he stood there belting out the club anthem “Mull of Kintyre”, Forde had to use all his strength not to burst into tears.

“It was such a profound experience. It’s just one of those moments when you reflect on how bad your experience was. The City Ground is so moving and atmospheric anyway, but when you’ve been away for so long you worry that you might never be able to go again.

“Football is so important to the identity and the place. I’m from Nottingham, I grew up with this stadium and I will remember this magical moment for the rest of my life.”

Forde believes Forest, and football in general, deserve more credit than they get for the way they handle such situations. “Numerous clubs do things like this and it’s not for clicks or social media, it’s because they genuinely feel one of their own is going through a difficult time. Things like this aren’t always made public.”

“I really felt like they wanted to look after me. Yates, Elanga, they are so smart and intelligent and very talented footballers as well. They are aware of the privilege of playing for a club like Forest. They really look after me.

“Footballers have to grow up so quickly. It’s crazy that I’m 41 and these guys are 20 years younger than me, but you still look up to them – they’re an authority figure in your life.”

And what about Cooper? The man to whom Forest – and Forde himself – meant so much is now in charge at Leicester. Will the two continue to exchange messages? “I can’t just not talk to him now. I would have preferred him not to go to one of our biggest rivals.”

“He is a special man and his place in Forest’s history is secure. Helping us get promoted is something no one has done in 23 years. I’ve sent him a message and wish him all the best personally – I just hope Leicester don’t finish ahead of us. He will get a huge welcome when he comes back. He is a god in Nottingham. We will always love him.”

Forde is back at the Edinburgh Festival performing his show called The End of an Era. He is touring nationwide from October to March. Although the return to comedy has been relaxing, his next goal is to return to Forest. “I’m already looking at the fixtures and planning what game I’m going to play,” he says. “Those moments when you’re there, you enjoy every second, every smell. I can’t wait.”

“I think we’ll have a better season. I don’t think we’re far from being a little more secure. It would just be nice not to be in the relegation battle.”

For Matt Forde, survival would be more than enough.