Northern yards charity football match raises thousands for Malton Appeal. A football match played on Sunday 20th September between the staff at Nicky Richard’s Greystoke yard and a team from Mark Johnston’s, has raised £3,000 for the Malton Fire Disaster Appeal. The Kingsley House [Johnston] team proved eventual 2-1 winners of a hotly contested game that involved 2 red and 4 yellow cards! The victors were presented with the Racing Welfare Northern Football Cup, a competition that was instigated by the Charity’s welfare officer for the region Paul Lodge and a man of the match trophy presented by Nicky Richards was won by Johnston’s goalie David Hickin. In addition to the match, the day featured a raffle and charity auction with prizes donated by owners and trainers from both yards and top jockeys.
Andrew Larnach one of the Kingsley House yard managers was effusive about the day. "The football match was already booked, but when we heard about the Malton fire we started looking at ways of raising money as well. Deidre and Mark [Johnston] were great, they donated a lot of prizes for the raffle and auction and really gee’d up everyone to get involved. Kevin Dalgleish, who was our team captain, also got a load of donations from the likes of Frankie, Kieran, Jamie Spencer and a few other lads in the weighing room."
Neil Leach who was the team captain for the losing Greystoke team was equally enthusiastic about the match and the significant funds that the two yards raised. "It would seem wrong to single out any one person to thank for helping us out, but our yardman Mark Fell got things organised really well so that we could entertain over 100 people at the yard and later on at our local pub, the Boot and Shoe, plus the boss [Nicky Richards] and our local cattle auctioneer got them all bidding on the auction lots. We are really chuffed to have raised this much money for the lads in Malton affected by the fire. On a football front though we are looking forward to a return match and winning that cup back off Johnston’s, and the sooner the better!"
Any one who would like to donate to the Malton Appeal fund which has now topped £50,000 is encouraged to donate by sending cheques to Racing Welfare, 5b Commercial Street, Norton, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 9HX or calling 01638 560763.
