Strathspey Thistle treasurer Margaret Clark has enlisted musical superstar Jon Bon Jovi as the Grantown club’s most recent and most famous supporter.
Margaret posed wearing her Jags top with the 51-year-old rock legend in Las Vegas recently and on her return to Scotland sent him a replica strip, sporting the name Jon and number 27 on the back.
Margaret travelled to the United States along with her friend, former Strathspey Thistle and Rothes forward Tolga Dagtas.
The woman known to everyone in north football as Mags said: “I’ve been a fan of Bon Jovi for nearly 30 years. So when I got the opportunity through the fan club to go to Las Vegas and meet him I jumped at the chance.
“I didn’t know what to wear, I have lots of bonnie dresses but in the end I opted for my Strathspey Thistle shirt.
“We met on Saturday October 12 and when I returned home I sent him out a Strathspey top with ‘Jon’ and number 27 on the back, as it was the 27th Bon Jovi gig I’ve been lucky enough to attend.
“Jon didn’t really know much about the Jags but he does now and hopefully he’ll now be our proudest and most famous fan.”
Over the years Mags has raised thousands of pounds for Strathspey club funds. Last year she did a sponsored parachute jump, and 12 months earlier she held a 24-hour sponsored silence, anyone who knows the redoubtable Ms Clark appreciates just how difficult a task that was.
However, this year she is planing something a little bit different, but still with a sporting connection.
She added: “When I returned from Vegas I got off the plane at Heathrow and jumped on a bus for Coventry where on October 3 my 15-year-old nephew, Ross Emslie, whose family originated from Aberdeen, died of leukaemia.
“My next task is to raise as much money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, who help 13 to 24-year-olds with leukaemia, with a variety of fund-raising events in and around Grantown.
“I missed the funeral as I was still in the States, but I know that the whole of the Coventry first team attended. They also held a minute’s silence for him before a recent game and in the 15th minute the fans gave a minute’s applause for Ross as he was such a big Coventry City supporter.
“The Coventry captain, Carl Baker, has been very much involved in the whole thing as his brother also succumbed to leukaemia. He is an amazing guy.”
Anyone who would like to assist Mags in her quest to raise as much money as possible for the Teenage Cancer Trust, can find out more by visiting www.justgiving#teamrossy