The red and blue sides of Bristol put aside their colours to unite at The Memorial Stadium today.
Alongside Rovers legend Marcus Stewart, Bristol City’s kitman and former player Scott Murray launched a charity football match between a South West Legends side and an All-Star XI on Saturday 13th May.
Stewart, who also played for Huddersfield Town, Ipswich Town, Sunderland, Bristol City, Yeovil Town and Exeter City, was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the match is being played to raise funds for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.
At the launch, Marcus said: “This is going to be a celebration of football. There will be big names on the pitch at The Mem in May to lend their support and I just hope they brush up on their Bristolian before the game so they can understand what’s being said on the terraces!”
The list of players and celebrities already includes a full team of former Bristol Rovers players, including Tom Lockyer and Ellis Harrison, plus Jill Scott, Louis Carey, Stephen Warnock, Matt Holland, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt. Many more members of the football family have also agreed to be at the match on the day, work commitments permitting, and they include Harry Redknapp, Ron Atkinson, Tony Mowbray, Calum Best, Michelle Owen, Colin Hendry and Dean Saunders.
Since his diagnosis, Marcus and his wife Louise, operating as Team Stewart, have worked tirelessly to raise funds for the charity and highlight public awareness of MND. They have, to date, raised over £80,000 of their £100,000 target.
Marcus, Louise and Scott were joined at today’s press conference by committee member Kelly-Ann Bowen, Wayne Hadley, managing director of Concierge UK who are handling publicity for the match, Graham Masarik, managing director of Eurocams Limited and former Bristol City player Scott Murray.
Also in attendance was Helen Mackie of The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), along with Dawn Astle and Rachel Waldron of the Jeff Astle Foundation.
Former Bristol Rovers managers Darrell Clarke and Paul Tisdale will take charge of the South West Legends and All-Star sides respectively on the day.
The Darby Rimmer Foundation was launched by former Liverpool, Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers player Stephen Darby and his close friend Chris Rimmer, a former British Forces Veteran, both of whom were diagnosed with MND. The aim of the charity is to raise awareness of the illness and to help to raise funds to facilitate research into it, with the aim of finding a cure.
*Tickets for the game on Saturday May 13th are available now by clicking HERE.
Disabled and carer tickets are available for this fixture. These are to be booked through our supporter services manager Clare, who is available Mondays and Thursdays on 0117 9096648 or via email at clare@bristolrovers.co.uk.