Football manager Simon Heaton admits he grew a beard to cover up cancerous lump

Football manager, Simon Heaton, who says he takes pride in his appearance, first noticed a pinprick-sized spot appear on his left cheekbone and then disappear weeks later only to pop up again three years ago and decided to grow facial hair to cover it. The 50-year-old, who says his best pal is former professional boxer Ricky Hatton, believed it to be an ingrown hair or pimple so didn't think much of it, until it started to grow in size.

When it mushroomed to 4mm in diameter Simon, manager of non-league Abbey Hey Football Club, was urged by his mum to go to his doctor and get it checked out. At a GP appointment in July 2023, the former sunbed lover was stunned when he was referred to a dermatologist who believed the spot to be cancerous. Last week the dad-of-two had the growth, believed to be basal cell carcinoma, surgically removed, leaving a three-inch scar behind.

Simon now faces an anxious six-week wait to confirm the diagnosis and see if he needs any further treatment. The business development manager is now urging stubborn blokes to get anything unusual checked out straight away.

Simon, from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, said: “I noticed a little pinprick-sized pimple on my face three years ago. I thought it was a spot, left it, it disappeared, then a couple of weeks later it came back a little bit bigger. It wasn't sore but I knew it was there and it was annoying me. I take pride in my appearance, I like to think I'm a smartly dressed guy. I thought it was an ingrown hair so I had a little bit of a mess with it. I decided to grow a beard to cover it up, I didn't think anything of it.

“This little pimple got bigger and then it started to have a little scab on it and then it would weep and then it would fall off. It got into an eight-week cycle. I just lived with it, with the beard no-one could see it. It was only after the spot grew and sun-loving Simon mentioned it to his mum Margaret Heaton a few times that she urged him to get it checked out.

Simon said: “In my past life I loved a sunbed. In my 20s I would go on sunbeds three times a week for six minutes without using suncream. I felt better when I had a tan. I'm not vain, you just look and feel better. When I went on summer holidays, as soon as that sun was up I'd be on a sunlounger until the sun went down. I'd use factor 12 then down to oil on the last few days.

“I'd mentioned it to my mum a few times. One of the times she said 'go and get that checked out’. I didn't think it would be cancer, it was a bit of a shock when he said it could be. Within five minutes of seeing the GP he said it looked like basal cell carcinoma and referred me to a dermatologist who looked at it again and said the same. Rather than take a biopsy they just decided to take it out. I love the sun and I love my holidays and that's what they put it down to - sun exposure.”

Simon underwent an hour-long op to scoop out the growth at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, on October 22. Now he has a three-inch scar on his face that surgeons say won't be visible under his beard as it heals. Simon said: “It's a fair old scar on my face, it was quite deep but hopefully it's done with. They're going to biopsy it and will get the results back at my next appointment in six weeks' time.

“The surgeons were absolutely fantastic. One said because of my beard line he was going to change the angle of the incision a bit so when it does heal the scar won't be seen. My partner, Adele, has been a massive support throughout it all.”

Simon is now urging anyone with any unusual symptoms to get them checked out straight away. Simon said: “I now wear a factor 50 moisturising cream every day. My advice to blokes who think it's just a spot or ingrowing hair would be to 100% go to your doctors and get it checked out. I think it's a male stubbornness, the attitude is ‘it'll be alright, it'll be gone in a week’. It's better to be safe than sorry, they can catch things early and stop them from happening again.

What is basal cell carcinoma (BCC)?

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer that starts in the top layer of skin. It can often be easily treated.

The main cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. Things that increase your chances of getting non-melanoma skin cancer include your age, having pale skin and having had skin cancer in the past.

It's possible to reduce your risk of skin cancer by being careful in the sun – for example, by using sunscreen and reapplying.