The footballer playing on despite stage four cancer

Scottish Cup second round: Threave Rovers v Stranraer

Venue: Meadow Park, Castle Douglas Date: Friday, 25 October Time: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland, the BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sport website & app

Charlie Watson has not missed a training session with Threave Rovers in the last year, despite the shock of cancer coming into his life.

At no stage has he looked like he is struggling, either. If anything, he is getting better.

The 19-year-old even scored his side's final goal in their 6-1 Scottish Cup first-round win over Vale of Leithen last month.

He will be involved again on Friday as Threave, from the West of Scotland League Third Division, host nearby Stranraer - who are in League Two - in the second round live on BBC Scotland.

"I don't feel sorry for myself. I'm just the type of person to get on with stuff," Watson said.

Initially diagnosed with a stage two nodular malignant melanoma around a year ago, the teenager's illness has progressed.

It has now reached stage four and spread to Watson's lymph nodes, lungs and liver. His treatment has been intensive.

But the joinery apprentice's commitment to Threave has remained. His focus has been on football and on raising funds and awareness of the condition.

"I had a mole on my lower abdomen and it just started to get bigger and bigger," Watson explained to BBC Scotland, as he looked back on the events of autumn 2023.

"I just asked the doctor to remove it. I got a phone call a couple of weeks later telling me the mole was a type of skin cancer.

"It was just a shock. I was at my work. Somebody my age, you just don't expect to hear news like that. There was a lot going through the head at one time.

"I'm on a type of immunotherapy. I get a double drug - four rounds every four weeks then a six-week break. I get a single drug for two years every four weeks.

"I've actually been really lucky with side effects. I've only had an overactive thyroid. Just tired. Usually the day after I'm a bit more lethargic."

'Charlie is an amazing human'

Threave manager Danny Dunglinson cannot hide his admiration for his player.

"It's horrific what him and his family are going through," Dunglinson said of the midfielder. "He's only 19, so trying to get your head round what he's going through is very hard.

"Seeing him on the pitch, you can't quite believe he is experiencing what he's experiencing. I don't think he's missed a training session.

"During games, he's never once looked out of place or looked like he's struggling. If anything, he looks like he's getting better, which is staggering."

Watson considers himself "lucky" to have scored in the first-round win, having promised Dunglinson that he would.

"The reaction when he scored was brilliant," Dunglinson said. "The cheer was that extra bit louder, even though it was the last goal in a 6-1 win in the last minute.

"I think it meant a lot to his team-mates as well."

Watson's mother Amanda Woods said "there's just no words" for the ordeal her son and their family are enduring.

"He's an amazing human being and he copes with it all very well," she said. "Which means I'll cope with it well too.

"He is still playing his football. He's a very driven and strong-minded young man and always has been.

"I would swap places in a heartbeat. There's no question about it. We've got to keep each other going.

"Charlie's never failed to make us proud of him. We're so proud of him for everything and Friday's just yet another."

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