Cancer victim in last plea to Reds
MEET PLAYERS
THE family of a terminally ill Manchester United fan have made an emotional appeal to the club’s players to grant his ‘last wish.’
Robert Clayton, 63, from Middleton, has been a lifelong Reds supporter and ‘everything about him is Manchester United’ from the clothes he wears to his drinking cup and bed sheets.
However, the father-of-five and his large family have been given the ‘devastating news’ that he only has days to live after cancer spread throughout his body.
Robert was diagnosed with bone and liver cancer in May but after one round of chemotherapy he was considered to be ‘too poorly’ to carry on with treatment.
He was discharged from The Christie hospital two weeks ago for the last time and is now spending his final days at home.
His family, which includes 16 grandchildren and eight greatgreat-grandchildren, are now trying to ‘do something really special before the inevitable happens.’
Robert’s granddaughter Chelsea Bennett has launched a social media appeal calling on current or old United players to visit him ‘as a last wish.’
Chelsea, 24, told the M.E.N.: “He hasn’t got long left.
“He’s doing well at the moment but we don’t know when his last day is going to be. He is housebound and is unable to get out.
“Just before he passes away we want to do something special for him.
“Even just a brief hello and goodbye would be fantastic.
“I have had so, so many people contact me trying to help and I’ve had quite a few good responses.”
The mum-of-two, from Wythenshawe, said: “MUTV have got in contact saying they are going to try and set up a video link from one of their players. It’s a waiting game at the moment.”
After Robert’s initial diagnosis his large family arranged a get together and all wore Manchester United t-shirts.
Chelsea said: “It was a surprise. He didn’t know we were all getting together. It’s rare that the whole family all gets together.
“The smile on his face is a memory that will last a life time.”
The last United match Robert attended was the Legends game in September.
The M.E.N. has contacted Manchester United to see if they can help Robert’s family.