Legends play for wee Layla Old Firm stars turn out for cancer victim
A charity football match to raise money for a wee girl battling a rare form of cancer was a great success – and it even stopped raining for 90 minutes.
The Old Firm Legends vs Renfrewshire United game took place on Sunday afternoon at Renfrew Leisure Centre.
And with heavy rain throughout the morning, organisers were delighted when the clouds cleared and not a drop fell during the match. The money raised by the event is still being collected but is hoped to come to a few thousand pounds for Renfrew youngster Layla Greene.
Layla was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in March – an advanced form of cancer found in less than 100 children across the UK each year.
The tot – who turned three this week – has just finished her eighth round of chemotherapy.
She may also face surgery, followed by radiotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, and may have to go to America for treatment.
The Renfrew community has rallied around her and her family – mum Louise, dad David and her two older brothers, Matthew, 11, and nine-year-old Robert.
Match organiser John Plott from Renfrewshire United said: “The day went well.
“It was looking as if it was going to be a wet one, but it just stopped in time for the game to go on. There was still lots of people there.
“It was a massive success. Everyone was buzzing and a lot of Layla’s family came along.”
Old Firm Legends Frank McAvennie, Marvin Andrews, Bobby Petta, Derek Ferguson, Rudi Vata, John McDonald and Dougie Bell all took part in the match, playing in Renfrewshire United strips with the home side wearing strips the legends had given them.
They were joined by reality TV stars James Drummond and Brian Matthews.
John said the match was intense with both sides trying their hardest to win. Renfrewshire United won the match 5-4.
All the money will go to Layla’s family to help pay for items such as new clothes for Layla since she’s lost weight after starting chemotherapy, days out for her and her family and living costs while mum Louise is spending all her time at the hospital.
To find out more about the fundraising, and to make a donation, search for Light for Layla on Facebook or go to www. justgiving. com/ crowdfunding/ michelle-kelly