The footballing world was greeted with some very sad news this week as former Tottenham and Hull City midfielder Ryan Mason had to announce his retirement from the professional game.The midfielder was severely injured in an Premier League game against Chelsea back in early 2017, with Gary Cahill accidentally head butting him while trying to win the ball from a corner.The clash of heads resulted in a fractured skull for Mason, while Cahill was remarkably unhurt by the incident.It was thought that Mason would eventually make a comeback, but on doctor's advice, he has announced his retirement 13 months on at the age of just 26.Cahill was one of the first to react to the incident on Twitter, posting a very classy message.

CAHILL'S TWEET

Very nice indeed.

According to the Telegraph, Mason is unlikely to be in attendance when the two sides meet once again in the FA Cup on Friday night.

However, Chelsea have taken it upon themselves to make an offer of solidarity to Mason by sending him an open invitation to any future fixture.

Nice to see the club acting in such a manner.

Blues manager Antonio Conte has also sent his best wishes to Mason, saying: “To stop your career at such a young age, it’s a pity. This news is bad news for us. We are very sad.

“The players and the club wish him and his family the best for the present, the best for the future.”

Conte also revealed that he has not spoken to Cahill about the incident, but says that he does not expect it to impact his performance on Friday.

CONTE ON CAHILL

“If I have to go to speak with him, it means there is a problem," he said. "I don’t see a problem. Football is this. Sometimes it can happen, this type of situation.

“The most important thing is there is not the will to do this.”

He added: “We are talking about a top player, no? For his commitment, his behaviour during, before and after the game.

“I was a player and I understand it. I broke my leg. My team-mate broke my leg when I was 16 and risked my whole career. But it was an unlucky situation.

“Gary is a fantastic guy, a fantastic person. He must be okay because it’s not his fault.”