CLARETS captain Steven Caldwell admits he has taken some dreesing room stick this month after growing a moustache for the national prostate cancer campaign Movember.

But despite being the victim of jokes from his team mates, Caldwell hopes he can use his role-model status to raise awareness of the disease.

The defender, 29, said he was roped into growing the facial hair by his brother Gary, for the John Hartson Foundation.

Hartson is a former Arsenal and Celtic striker who was diagnosed with brain, testicular and lung cancer in July this year.

Scotsman Caldwell said: “John was a team mate of my brother’s at Celtic. I don’t know him that well but I know he is a great guy, who has been fantastic to Gary and has really supported him.

“It was shocking news about John, I admired him so much as a player, and it is great to see him making a recovery.”

He said the taches were originally grown for Scotland’s friendly with Wales, Hartson’s home country, on November 14.

And Caldwell, who scored his first goal of the season against Aston Villa at the weekend, said he wasn’t pleased with his tache growing efforts.

“I fully accept it’s a rubbish tache,” he said. “I’ve had plenty of stick from the lads here, Stephen Thompson reckons I look like a 1942 army officer.

“But my brother’s was even worse, I’ve not seen him since the Wales game but it was a shocker, I’ll have to get him to send me a photo.

“Nobody had really mentioned it before I scored on Saturday, probably because they could hardly see it.

“But since the goal I’ve had the chance to raise a bit of publicity. It’s only a goal in a football match and it reminds you there is a much bigger picture here.

“I’m lucky to be in a position where I can raise awareness, and if it encourages a few people to check themselves out then that is great.

“I can’t wait until Tuesday when it comes off though, it’s annoying me now, although I’ve told the lads that if I score again I’ll keep it for another week.

“I think I’ve had my goal for the season though.”