Strips tribute to tragic teammate
A football club has been gifted brand new strips for its under16s boys’ team in memory of a teammate who died from cancer.
Rosepark Care Home in Uddingston, operated by Renaissance Care, proudly gave the lads from Calderbraes FC a donation of £400 in memory of former player Kyle Mclean, who lost his life to bone cancer in 2021 at just 13-years-old.
The team has been committed to honouring his memory with a special gesture since his sad passing, and agreed that bespoke strips which carry his name and number at every match would be a fitting tribute.
Kyle’s mother, Aileen Mclean, said: “I appreciate all the love and support from both Calderbraes Football Club and the local community in fundraising and keeping Kyle’s memory alive.
“This team is made up of some very special boys whose support has been monumental over the last few years.”
The team have kept Kyle close to their hearts in the past two years, and now proudly wear KM5 (Kyle Mclean, Number 5) embroidered on every strip and scarf in his memory.
Lauren Kenny, manager of Rosepark Care Home, added: “Calderbraes Football Club is close to everyone at Rosepark’s hearts, with the children of our staff and grandchildren of our residents either members of the squad or closely connected to the team.
“We consider our home and the residents within it a vibrant part of the local community. When they expressed that they wanted to support the squad, it was our honour to make it happen.”
In addition to the donation from Rosepark Care Home, members of Kyle’s team at Calderbraes went on to fundraise an astounding £17,000. The team organised various activities, including a kids versus parents football match that raised a significant amount towards the total.
The fundraising was generously donated to the Schiehallion Ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, a specialist ward which offers invaluable support to young people experiencing a similar journey to Kyle’s.