A Huddersfield Town fan left in a coma after an attack has now been moved from a high dependency ward as his recovery continues.
Father-of-five Andrew Cruickshanks was left fighting for his life following an assault in Honley last month.
He was attacked just three days before Town’s play-off semi-final victory over Sheffield Wednesday and wasn’t aware that Town had been promoted.
His son Dalian, 27, a season card holder at Town along with his father, said his dad’s slow recovery was now continuing on a neurological ward at Leeds General Infirmary.
He was moved at the weekend after his condition improved. He is awake and can talk having previously been critically ill.
“There have been improvements in his condition but there is a long road to recovery,” said his son.
“We hope he will make a full recovery but we will see as it’s a long road.”
Mr Cruickshanks - known as Totty - has been told by his family that hundreds of people - Town fans among them - have been rooting for him.
“We have let him know that people have been sending him ‘get well’ messages. He was shocked to see how many there were. There are quite a few hundred messages, cards and flowers. There are too many to count.”
Mr Cruickshanks was moved to a new ward at the weekend just a few hours after family members were able to tell him that Town had been promoted while he had been very poorly.
He smiled and laughed at the good news, said Dalian.
“He can speak but he gets tired a lot. He knows who everyone is but he does get confused about what’s happened.
Dalian, of Halifax, said it felt like the family had got through the toughest part.
“We have been through the hardest part. We are there for him when he needs us. We don’t know when he can come out of hospital, it depends on how he improves.
“He looks a lot better and the volume in his voice has gone back up. He is improving.”
Dalian said his dad had been shown a copy of an Examiner story about him being able to talk again and learning that Town were now Premier League.
“We took the Examiner article and showed him. He smiled.”
Dalian said the recovery would come in small steps.
“We’ll get there. You can’t rush things. We have to let him do it in his own time, when he’s ready.”
Dalian and brother Jonathan and sisters Charlotte, Shelby and Mia had all been going to see their father at Leeds General Infirmary.
Mr Cruickshanks, 53, of Holmfirth, was found at a house in Stone Fold, Honley. A Huddersfield man, 49, was arrested and released on bail.
