Referee Mark Halsey is hoping that he has proved an inspiration to other cancer sufferers in the wake of his retirement from football.

The 51-year-old returned to top-flight officiating having beaten non-Hodgkin lymphoma and took charge of his final match on Sunday as Norwich City beat Manchester City 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Halsey, who endured an operation four years ago to remove a cancerous tumour in his throat, hopes that he has helped others by making a comeback from illness.

"I have had three great years since I have come back from my illness and hopefully I have been an inspiration for all those men, women and children out there living with cancer, and it can show them we can beat this," Halsey told ESPN.

"We can get back out there and hopefully I have done a lot for them. It's been a fantastic career for me, with ups and downs. My family have been there for me. My wife has got leukaemia. She was there for me when I was battling my cancer."

Halsey referred in the Premier League for 14 years.