WHEN referee Mark Halsey heard the comments that followed Michael Owen’s winning goal in the Manchester derby, he realised that life was more important than football.

The 48-year-old is fighting a rare form of cancer which means he must endure long sessions of chemotherapy which leave him feeling drained.

He is displaying the level of resilience which is typical of a top flight referee and has spoken of his determination to beat the disease.

But Mr Halsey, whose wife, Michelle is battling leukaemia, also admitted the battle is a tough one.

He said: “It took a few weeks for it to sink in because when the doctor told me, I was just numb. I have accepted it now and although I absolutely dread going for the chemotherapy, I am determined to beat this.

“I don’t mean this to sound disrespectful but I saw Shay Given and Mark Hughes complaining that Manchester United had scored six and a bit minutes into injury time at the end of the Manchester derby. Shay said that he couldn’t sleep because of that goal but for me it just put everything into perspective.”

Mr Halsey, of Little Lever, has just completed his second course of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with primary cancer of the lymph nodes last month.

He is set to complete his treatment just a week before Christmas and the father-of-one, who lives in Little Lever with Michelle and daughter Lucy Mia, has already earmarked a January return.

He said: “You have to stay positive because that is what will get you through. There is always someone worse off than you and my goal is to get better and get back out there on a Saturday afternoon doing the job I love.

“The doctor said I wouldn’t be able to referee again this year but if things go well, then hopefully sometime in January, or February, I can start refereeing again.”

Players, managers and fans from all levels of the game have been rallying around the Hertfordshire-born official, who says he has been overwhelmed by the support.

He said: “Everyone has been fantastic and I have had players and managers from all levels calling me up and sending me letters and text messages. People don’t realise how much top players actually care and it shows that I must be doing something right.

”Football is like one big family and it has been very emotional.”

His diagnosis in August, just days before the start of the new football season, was a second devastating blow for Halseys, coming just months after Michelle was diagnosed with leukaemia.

She said: “I was diagnosed on New Year’s Eve last year so you do wonder what you have done to deserve it but we just have to keep smiling for Lucy’s benefit.”

The pair are keen to praise the staff at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, where Mark is being treated, and are busy raising money for the hospital through their Italian restaurant, Sottovento in Farnworth.

He said: “They have been fantastic and I can call them any time if I need anything. People see footballers as heroes but my doctor, Professor Tim Illidge, and the nurses there are the real heroes.

“The Christie has to raise so much money just to keep providing the care they do and saving the lives and I think at times the Government get it wrong when they bail the banks out yet somewhere like that gets very little help.”