JAMIE CARRAGHER expressed his great delight today as his long-standing testimonial dream became reality.
The Liverpool defender will celebrate his career at the club with a game against an Everton XI on Saturday, September 4 at Anfield (2pm) – with all proceeds going to local charities.
Though the game will take place during an international break, all the players at both clubs who do not have commitments with their respective countries will be involved.
What’s more, a number of familiar favourites from Liverpool’s recent past will also pull on a Red shirt once again to add to the occasion.
So far Michael Owen
, Danny Murphy, Craig Bellamy, Dietmar Hamann, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp, Gary McAllister and Steven Warnock have all signed up to play for Liverpool.
That list could soon be added to, as Carragher is hoping both Jerzy Dudek and Sami Hyppia – two men who were integral to Liverpool’s Champions League success in 2005 – will return to Merseyside for one day only.
David Moyes, meanwhile, has promised Carragher that he will pick his strongest possible side and there is even a chance that Blues striking legend Duncan Ferguson will once again lead Everton’s line.
Carragher has been due a testimonial since 2007, when Liverpool offered him a chance to stage a year of events to mark his tenth anniversary at the club, but he always wanted to wait for an appropriate stage of his career when he could play a one-off game.
Now, after months of planning, the Reds’ vice-captain is thrilled to reveal details of an event he hopes will bring fans in this football-mad city closer together.
“It has been in the pipeline for four or five months and I’ve had to keep things quiet but I’m delighted now that I can start to talk about it properly,” said Carragher. “Hopefully it should be a great occasion, one that the Merseyside public get behind.
“Every single penny that gets raised will be going to charity and it would nice to see the stadium full of families because that is what the day is going to be about. It’s a huge honour to play for Liverpool and I just want to try and give something back.”
When Carragher was thinking about the game, he had toyed with the idea of staging it during pre-season and considered involving a high-profile foreign team.
He, however, wanted to maximise the amount of money that will go to his 23 Foundation – which meant the decision to choose Everton was easy.
“Everton and David Moyes have been brilliant from the very start,” said Carragher. “When I thought about the testimonial, I started looking at a few different teams and when it would be best to play it but Everton were always my first idea.
“If we had gone for a foreign team, they would have incurred appearance fees and travel costs which would have needed paying for but that is not what this game is going to be about; the money we raise is for the city of Liverpool and Merseyside in general.
“Obviously Everton have only got to cross over the park but they never had any interest in expense. Every one knows I was an Evertonian when I was a kid and I just thought it would be appropriate for the two teams in my life to have a game of football.”
The last time the two clubs met in a testimonial was for Bruce Grobbelaar in October 1992 – that game finished 2-2 – while Phil Neal (1985) and Steve Heighway (1981) both chose the Blues as opposition for their respective benefit games.
But while Carragher is looking forward to the match, he is just as excited about a game that is scheduled to take place during half-time when two primary schools from the area will get the chance to play at Anfield.
A ‘competition’ will decide the identity of the schools and the rules are simple; Carragher is hoping head teachers will block book tickets for the main event and the schools that have purchased most seats will then get to play.
“The game between the schools is something that I am very passionate about,” said Carragher. “It would be a fantastic opportunity for some of the kids to play at Anfield and hopefully there will be a big response.”
Any head teachers who wish to obtain more details about the competition should contact Andy Windsor on 07870 520016 or, alternatively, email [email protected]; he is more than happy to discuss all queries on that subject.
Tickets for the game go on sale soon, as do tickets for the black tie gala dinner that will be held in the Echo Arena’s Convention Centre the same evening.
Prices are £200 per ticket or £2,000 for a table of ten; further details can be obtained from Tracey Coks on 07904 358418 or email [email protected]
Carra
The Liverpool defender will celebrate his career at the club with a game against an Everton XI on Saturday, September 4 at Anfield (2pm) – with all proceeds going to local charities.
Though the game will take place during an international break, all the players at both clubs who do not have commitments with their respective countries will be involved.
What’s more, a number of familiar favourites from Liverpool’s recent past will also pull on a Red shirt once again to add to the occasion.
So far Michael Owen
, Danny Murphy, Craig Bellamy, Dietmar Hamann, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp, Gary McAllister and Steven Warnock have all signed up to play for Liverpool.That list could soon be added to, as Carragher is hoping both Jerzy Dudek and Sami Hyppia – two men who were integral to Liverpool’s Champions League success in 2005 – will return to Merseyside for one day only.
David Moyes, meanwhile, has promised Carragher that he will pick his strongest possible side and there is even a chance that Blues striking legend Duncan Ferguson will once again lead Everton’s line.
Carragher has been due a testimonial since 2007, when Liverpool offered him a chance to stage a year of events to mark his tenth anniversary at the club, but he always wanted to wait for an appropriate stage of his career when he could play a one-off game.
Now, after months of planning, the Reds’ vice-captain is thrilled to reveal details of an event he hopes will bring fans in this football-mad city closer together.
“It has been in the pipeline for four or five months and I’ve had to keep things quiet but I’m delighted now that I can start to talk about it properly,” said Carragher. “Hopefully it should be a great occasion, one that the Merseyside public get behind.
“Every single penny that gets raised will be going to charity and it would nice to see the stadium full of families because that is what the day is going to be about. It’s a huge honour to play for Liverpool and I just want to try and give something back.”
When Carragher was thinking about the game, he had toyed with the idea of staging it during pre-season and considered involving a high-profile foreign team.
He, however, wanted to maximise the amount of money that will go to his 23 Foundation – which meant the decision to choose Everton was easy.
“Everton and David Moyes have been brilliant from the very start,” said Carragher. “When I thought about the testimonial, I started looking at a few different teams and when it would be best to play it but Everton were always my first idea.
“If we had gone for a foreign team, they would have incurred appearance fees and travel costs which would have needed paying for but that is not what this game is going to be about; the money we raise is for the city of Liverpool and Merseyside in general.
“Obviously Everton have only got to cross over the park but they never had any interest in expense. Every one knows I was an Evertonian when I was a kid and I just thought it would be appropriate for the two teams in my life to have a game of football.”
The last time the two clubs met in a testimonial was for Bruce Grobbelaar in October 1992 – that game finished 2-2 – while Phil Neal (1985) and Steve Heighway (1981) both chose the Blues as opposition for their respective benefit games.
But while Carragher is looking forward to the match, he is just as excited about a game that is scheduled to take place during half-time when two primary schools from the area will get the chance to play at Anfield.
A ‘competition’ will decide the identity of the schools and the rules are simple; Carragher is hoping head teachers will block book tickets for the main event and the schools that have purchased most seats will then get to play.
“The game between the schools is something that I am very passionate about,” said Carragher. “It would be a fantastic opportunity for some of the kids to play at Anfield and hopefully there will be a big response.”
Any head teachers who wish to obtain more details about the competition should contact Andy Windsor on 07870 520016 or, alternatively, email [email protected]; he is more than happy to discuss all queries on that subject.
Tickets for the game go on sale soon, as do tickets for the black tie gala dinner that will be held in the Echo Arena’s Convention Centre the same evening.
Prices are £200 per ticket or £2,000 for a table of ten; further details can be obtained from Tracey Coks on 07904 358418 or email [email protected]
Carra
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