Rangers defender Connor Goldson has spoken for the first time about how his family history of heart troubles made him fear the worst after being told he needed surgery.

The Ibrox stopper has previously opened up on the terror he faced when told by doctors he would be risking death if he stepped back onto a football pitch without having a faulty aorta operated on following a routine health check.

But the 26-year-old has now confessed the warning he required a potentially life-saving operation while on the books at former club Brighton back in February 2017 did not come as a total shock because of his family history of heart problems.

Goldson's father also underwent heart surgery as a young man while his grandfather lost his life to a heart attack.

The centre-back had to be persuaded to go for the check-up that uncovered his own problem by Seagulls medical staff but once identified, he made a full recovery following surgery.

"I've played 49 games this season – 50 next weekend against Hearts hopefully.

"That's exactly what I came here to do. I always knew I could play this amount of games.

"My body has ever let me down and my aim was to come here, play as many games as I could and help this club improve.

"I'm still the similar to how I was before my op. I'm still a sore loser. But this and also having a child has put a lot into perspective.

"If I go home after a loss, it still hurts. But when I see my boy laughing it takes a lot of the pressure away.

"I posted a picture of myself in hospital on the morning of the Old Firm game a couple of weeks back. It was taken two years ago to the day.

"Don't get me wrong, there wasn't a boy in the dressing room who wasn't hurting after that game but when you reflect on what you've been though, you can see how far you've come."