Organisers of a charity football match between former players of Clachnacuddin and Inverness City this weekend have been overwhelmed by the response to the event.
The fundraising match has been organised in aid of the family of Clach coach Keith Mason, whose 20-month-old daughter Sophie has been diagnosed with Batten disease (CLN-1).
The incurable condition affects the nervous system, and children living with the condition will experience decreased muscle tone, intellectual and motor disability.
As a result, Mason has stepped back from his role with the Lilywhites in order to focus on his family.
Following the devastating news, a number of Mason’s friends and former team-mates have rallied to support the 38-year-old and his wife Lizzie in their efforts to give their daughter the best life possible.
Former Clach player Shaun Kerr and ex-Inverness City player Graham Stewart have teamed up to assemble two squads of former players from both clubs – each of which Mason represented.
The match will take place at Canal Park in Inverness on Sunday, with a 5.30pm kick-off.
Kerr insists he has been taken aback by the widespread desire to get involved in the event.
He said: “I used to play with Clach, and Keith is at Clach now, while Graham played with Keith at Inverness City.
“I suggested to Graham we put a couple of teams together. We said we would both put it out there on a wee chat to see if there was some interest.
“I put a chat in with 27 players – and every one of them came back saying yes within 10 minutes.
“I texted Graham to see how he was getting on with Inverness City – and he already had about 45 players.
“The interest was there straight away.
“There are a few of us that could only last about five minutes. Some players want to get involved but can’t through injury, but they still want to come on for a five-minute cameo.
“It just started like that – and it’s coming together. It will be good craic with some of the players involved. It will be serious on the night as well.
“Gordon Morrison was going to play for us, but now he’s going to referee it. I think he will have the hardest job of all – there are a few old-school hatchet men playing.”
Kerr aiming to raise funds – and awareness of rare genetic condition
Former Ross County youngster Kerr is a long-time friend of Mason, with the pair having been team-mates at Avoch in the Inverness and District Premier League during the summer months.
Along with the fundraising, Kerr is aiming to raise awareness of Batten Disease, with an estimated one to three children in the UK diagnosed with the rare genetic condition each year.
Kerr added: “I have been friends with Keith for years.
“When we found the news out it was devastating. The poor girl has not even lived, and she’s getting this news.
“Keith is obviously going to be off work for some time. They want to spend as much time, and make as many memories, as possible in the time they have with Sophie.
“I was speaking to Keith about the disease, and nobody really knows about it.
“Me like many people, as soon as I heard about it I was straight on to Google to see what it is.
“The more people that can learn about it, the better.
“Keith is a battler on the pitch, and that will come out in his personality just now as well.
“Hopefully we can raise a lot of money, to allow him to take Sophie on a lot of adventures.”
Goodwill towards ‘Sophie’s Story’ has come from far and wide
The show of goodwill towards Mason’s family has come from far and wide.
Separate from this weekend’s event, Ross County have announced that Sophie will be the mascot for the visit of Aberdeen on April 5.
Sophie’s family have also organised ‘Sophie’s Big Bear Hunt’ at Bellfield Park in Inverness, which is free and open to all children who enter.
In addition, Inverness Caledonian Thistle Women’s manager Karen Mason, who is Keith’s sister, and a group of current and former Caley Jags players will take on the three peaks challenge and attempt to scale Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in Cumbria and Ben Nevis in 24 hours in May.
Kerr has been overwhelmed by the variety of different gestures of support, adding: “I keep getting stuff donated, and we are doing an auction at Avoch.
“I got a donation from Robert Snodgrass. A lad I played with at Ross County, Craig Devlin, is friendly with Robert.
“He told him the story, and the next thing we knew we had a top coming up the road. He said he would also put a wee video message out.
“It just shows how far it reaches. We will try to use as many contacts as possible.
“We have had loads of Celtic stuff, and Steven Gunn at Aberdeen is from Invergordon so I reached out to him and he sorted me out with something.
“I wrote an e-mail to Manchester United on the off-chance, and they got back to us saying they would send a signed football.
“People all over the country are helping us.
“It just shows that with football, everybody sticks together.”
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