CUP HERO SAM'S ON ONE EL' OF A JOURNEY

WHEN SAM Bone takes to the pitch tomorrow night, you can be sure he will pause for a moment to take it all in.

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The 26-year-old Stones midfielder is enjoying every minute of their historic run to the FA Cup fifth round.

That's only heightened by the fact, just eight years ago, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

"When you're going through that moment you think, 'I could lose my life here'," Bone tells The NLP. "I've gone from that to now playing in the FA Cup fifth round. It's just so special.

"When you play in these games you take yourself back to when you were younger and the sacrifices you've made. It's all worth it." Bone, who had his testicle removed, is determined to raise awareness to help other men get diagnosed quickly.

"I always take myself back to when I had to go to the Royal Marsden cancer hospital," Bone says.

"There are always people far worse than you. I always try to take myself back to how they would be feeling.

"Without a doubt it's made a huge difference in my career, my outlook, my perspective on life. It's had a positive impact.