Just a brief note to thank you guys for tremendous support to the club in helping us to put on a major event for a very worthwhile cause that is extremely personal to us.
The day started at 9.00 for 10 club members who spent a couple of hours sweeping the lines on the pitch, walkways and car parks of snow to enable the game to go ahead. Over 1100 tickets were sold before the day and over 200 paid on the gate to see Wyrley First team play a Walsall FC Old boys team including Don Goodman, Martin O'Connor and Mark Kinsella. Referee Alan Wiley officated with 3 young assistants and he was very pragmatic in allowing the game to go ahead in poor conditions, although the playing surface at Great Wyrley FC was very flat. Swifty, the Walsall FC, 'flew' in to support the teams and amuse the crowd.
The 1 minute's applause before the game - to remember Liam and offer support to the Keeling family - was deafening.
The result was always going to be secondary in a game that was played in fine spirit - although it was pleasing that the Wyrley team, that included 6 players who had come through the ranks, won 3 - 0!
With a very well supported raffle, auction and the sell out of 300 programmes, over £6,600 was raised for a very worthwhile cause.
The game received coverage on Central News as well as the Evening Mail and Express & Star.
The Keeling family said '‘We would like to thank the Wyrley Juniors Community for supporting us today and since Liam’s death. We are delighted with the fantastic sum raised.’
So in summary, due to fantastic committment and effort from many from within Wyrley Juniors, the wider footballing community and the Keeling family a fantatic event was held despite very poor conditions, resulting in a tremendous £6600 raised for research into meningitis!
Thanks again guys from all at Wyrley Juniors FC.