Watford legend Nigel Callaghan says he cannot wait for 2011 after this year saw the former winger find out he had liver cancer just as his treatment for bowel cancer finished.

Callaghan was diagnosed with bowel cancer a year ago and, following surgery, started a six-month course of chemotherapy in March.

Doctors found no evidence of any problems during the chemotherapy, but when the 48-year-old went for his final scan in September it was discovered the cancer had spread to his liver.

Two weeks ago surgeons at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham removed two sections of Callaghan’s liver. After five days he was allowed home, and the former Derby County and Aston Villa man had his stitches taken out yesterday.

“Having battled cancer already this year, finding out I would need surgery again made it that much worse really,” Callaghan said.

“The first surgery was so painful, the first two days afterwards I thought I was dying I was in that much pain. So to hear that the second operation was an even bigger one meant I was absolutely dreading it because I know how much pain I was in the last time.

“But funnily enough this operation was not as painful as the other one. I have a big scar across my stomach now and it has been pretty sore but I am starting to feel better now.”

Callaghan was told by doctors that surgery “went as well as they had hoped” and is praying for good news at his next appointment on December 10.

‘Cally’ has been keeping friends updated on his progress on social networking site Facebook and has received hundreds of ‘get well’ messages.

He said: “I am on Facebook and so many Watford and Derby fans who I do not really know have wished me well. Some have said ‘I have great memories of your football’, others have said their mum or dad has gone through the same thing and ‘I am sure you will be ok’, whilst others have said ‘my brother is going through the same thing and it is nice to see you battling so hard against it’. It has been really nice.

“You have to try and stay positive and upbeat because you could spend all week, all month or all year worrying about it but it is not going to make it any better. It is something you have to try and get through.”

Callaghan, who is now a club DJ, went on to say he has been touched by the support he has received from Watford and Derby County fans.

Former players from both clubs held a charity match in aid of Callaghan at Pride Park in September and the former England Under-21 international has also made trips to both sides’ grounds in recent weeks, returning to Vicarage Road for the game against Notts County in August.

Callaghan said: “Watford fans are great and it was an emotional moment for me which brought a tear to my eye a bit. It was a great reception and it took me back to the days when they would cheer for me when I had scored.“ The next stage for Callaghan is his appointment on December 10 and the former FA Cup finalist is hoping for positive news after a terrible 2010.

He said: “I am just hoping I receive good news this time because I don’t want to go through another one of these operations, I don’t know how many more of these I can take to be honest. Touch wood my liver will grow back and this is the end of it, with the best of luck.

“I just want to get back to my normal life really. I had just gone back to work and some sort of normality after my bowel operation when they dropped this bombshell on me.

“Everything has happened so quickly again in the last month and I am hoping after Christmas I can just wipe 2010 out of my head.

“It has been a bad year for me after two cancer operations so I am hoping 2011 is a better year for me.”

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