Bristol-born Stewart, 49, amassed over 650 appearances at eight different clubs, scoring over 250 goals.

He made over 160 appearances for the Terriers between 1996 and 2000, scoring 68 goals and becoming a big crowd favourite before being controversially sold to Ipswich Town for £2.5m.

Stewart also played for both Bristol clubs, Rovers and City and also appeared for Sunderland, Preston North End, Yeovil Town and Exeter City.

Marcus Stewart, pictured in his playing days at Huddersfield Town.

He has played at every tier of English professional football, including scoring 19 goals for Ipswich Town in the Premier League, helping the Tractor Boys secure fifth place in 2000-2001 and qualify for the UEFA Cup.

Since retirement from playing, Stewart has moved into coaching and management, working at Exeter, Bristol Rovers and Walsall. He is currently head of player development at Yeovil.

Stewart said: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank those closest to me for their unwavering support since my recent diagnosis.

“As I take the time to adjust, my intention is to continue to enjoy my work in football and spend time with my family.

“In the future, I would like to use my platform within football to help raise awareness around MND, but in the short-term, I would like to ask for privacy on behalf of myself and my family.”

Stewart remains close to Huddersfield, with his two sons based in the town.

Kian plays for Huddersfield RUFC, while Finn – who came up through Huddersfield Giants’ academy – played rugby league for Rochdale Hornets this year.

Former Huddersfield Town striker Marcus Stewart diagnosed with motor neurone disease