Charity tattoo
CELTIC’S green may have run in a Tarbert fan’s veins until he was inked up for Rangers.
A LIFELONG Celtic fan put allegiance aside and was tattooed with a Rangers badge to support a seriously-ill Aussie lad.
Tarbert tiler Angy (Angus) MacFarlane, 54, was amazed at the response, especially from Rangers fans when he made the bold gesture to support two-year-old Mitchell Johnstone, who is battling leukaemia in Australia.
Winning team
Mitchell is the son of former Campbeltown Pupils left back and member of the SAFL Premier winning team in 2000, and latterly Dookers’ manager, Alex Johnstone (AJ), himself a staunch Rangers supporter.
Six years ago, AJ left Tarbert and emigrated to Australia where he found love with Mary. In 2014, Mitchell was born and this year brother Archie arriver.
Just after Archie’s birth, the couple were given the devastating news that Mitchell was ill.
Back at home, sister-in-law Fiona rallied the Johnstone family and arranged a series of fundraising events to pay for travel and accommodation costs during Mitchell’s expected eight-month hospital stay.
When Angy MacFarlane heard about the appeal, he didn’t hesitate and put a post on Facebook saying that he would be inked up Rangers style to help.
Donations
Angy said: ‘I put the notice on Facebook about four weeks ago and donations have flooded in, up to about £2,000 at present.
‘Quite a bit of money has come from Glasgow Rangers’ bar the Rosevale.
‘I won’t be going to any summer games now or wearing sleeveless shirts.’
His partner, Jennifer Graham, said: ‘It puts things in perspective. At the end of the day football is just a game and this is a wee boy’s life.’