Charity football match in Blackpool this Saturday plays tribute to Fusilier Lee Rigby

The Lee Rigby Football Club, who play their latest charity match in Blackpool this Saturday (March 26), has a team consisting of both serving and veteran military personnelwho are coached by ex-Brentford player Robert Taylor.

With a unique football strip based on the design of Lee Rigby’s striking Fusilier uniform, with crimson shirts and white, diagonal stripe, the aim of the team is to keep the lost soldier’s memory alive and help serving military personnel and veterans – and their families.

The club was set up last year by Poulton lorry driver Dan Ferguson, who has met Lee’s parents, Lyn and Ian, and was impressed by their dignity in the face of unimaginable heartbreak, after Lee was attacked and killed in a street in Woolwich, London, on May 22, 2013.

Dan, who is club secretary, joined forces with four Fleetwood residents to set up the club as directors – ex-serviceman Kevin Gray, his wife Gill, husband and wife team Wal and Debby Mitchinson and their son, Dion, who is club mascot.

Dan said: “Our aim is to play a series of charity matches around the country to raise money for our VVV Project which stands for Veterans Van's Vacations and all monies raised will go towards purchasing caravans for our serving and veteran military personnel and their families to have a break .“Our season is already completely booked up for this year and we have had over 280 clubs applying to play us .

“We have also gone into partnership with one of the biggest companies in the country and from Blackpool who are the Fox Group, who are our main sponsors.”On Saturday the team will play at AFC Blackpool’s Mechanics Stadium on Jepson Way, Marton, in a match against Hurt Plant Hire, beginning at 3pm, and the match will be attended by Lee's parents, who are from Middleton in Greater Manchester.Debby, whose husband Wal was the uncle of Marine Commando Darren Smith of Fleetwood, who died in Helmand, Afghanistan on February 14, 2009, said: “Members of the public are welcome to attend, the entry is just two pounds.”

The project is separate from the Lee Rigby Foundation, the charity set up by Lyn and Ian to support bereaved families and veterans.For further information visit the club’s Facebook page at Lee Rigby Football Club.