BOYCE IS BACK – JUST FOR JOSEPH!
IN 2013, Wigan Athletic skipper Emmerson Boyce carried mascot Joseph Kendrick out onto the Wembley pitch before the FA Cup final – seven years later it’s played a part in his surprise comeback.
Boyce wrote himself into Latics folklore when he skippered the club to their stunning cup triumph against Manchester City and hung up his boots three years later after a stint at Blackpool.
But now the Aylesbury-born defender, who turns 41 later this month, is stepping out of the shadows to play for ambitious North West Counties Division One North outfit Ashton Town.
One of the prime reasons is that Boyce has been so impressed by the fundraising work done by Town chairman Mark Hayes for Joseph’s Goal, the charity set up to raise funds for research into Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia (NKH), the life-limiting genetic condition that 11-year-old Joseph suffers from.
Joseph was given just ten days to live at birth but has shown remarkable resilience to battle NKH.
Boyce, the former Luton and Crystal Palace defender, told The NLP: “Mark does all the charity games for Joseph’s Goal and we were having a conversation. Tonguein-cheek, he asked me if I wanted to come and play for Ashton.
“I said yes, and the look on his face was priceless. He’s a great guy and he’s done so much for Joseph’s Goal. For me to put on a shirt and bring that profile to the football club for him is the least
I can do.
“I carried Joseph out at the FA Cup final and I call him our lucky mascot. He’s still going strong and, touch wood, will do for many years to come – he’s a fighter.”
Boyce’s comeback has certainly caught the imagination at the Greater Manchester club, who are now managed by ex-Chesterfield, Notts County and Bury striker Glynn Hurst, 44.
Good shape
Tickets for their first home game of the season against Orrell Athletic on Tuesday, September 15 sold out in under two hours, albeit there were just 150 available.
And Boyce is eager to show he can still cut the mustard against opponents who could be less than half his age.
“I can’t wait for the first training session on Tuesday and the game coming up on the 15th,” he said. “I’m excited to be putting the boots back on and I feel in good shape.
“I have a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game and I want to give something back on and off the pitch.
“When I was young and saw a player’s name I recognised on the teamsheet, I wanted to try my best, so I have to be prepared every game for people who want to test themselves against me and get the better of me. It will be interesting to see how it goes.”