THE organisers of a special football match in memory of a Uttoxeter soldier who died in Afghanistan earlier this year have been overwhelmed with support for the event.
A Uttoxeter Town Select side will play Wolves All Stars, at Oldfields Sports Ground, on Sunday, October 3, in memory of Lance Corporal Barry Buxton.
The Wolves team features legends from the past including Don Goodman, Andy Thompson, Keith Downing and captain and manager Mel Eves.
It has also been revealed that Barry’s brothers Gareth, who is also in the Army and has served in Afghanistan, and Ashley, will captain the Uttoxeter Town team and his eight-year-old nephew Joshua will be mascot.
Much of the fund-raising on the day will come from a match day auction to be held after the match with top local auctioneer Dave Riley in charge.
Organiser of the match Mick Harper has managed to get dozens of money-can’t-buy items which he hopes will raise thousands for the event’s chosen beneficiaries Help For Heroes and The Army Dependants Trust (ADT).
Items include a signed, framed photo of Gordon Banks holding up the World Cup in 1966, items signed by Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, two lots of an album and a DVD signed by Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant, a family ticket for a night at the Alton Towers Hotel including use of the theme park and even a signed picture of Peter Andre.
Mr Harper wanted to thank those who had contributed to the auction and made a special mention of Glenavon Football Club director Eddie Drurie who provided no fewer than five items after the pair met in Ireland.
He told the Advertiser: “We have had plenty of support most people have been really responsive. Peter Douglas and his family are sponsoring the game and he is refereeing and will be missing a day’s racing to do it.
“I would like to think we can get about 1,500 people at the game given a nice day. It has really got to me doing the game this time (Mr Harper also organised a tribute match to Uttoxeter footballing legend Roger Croft two years ago).
“Barry was cut off in his prime. This guy really was going places and people couldn’t say enough good things about him.” The match programme is now all but complete and features heartfelt tributes to L/cpl Buxton from family, friends and colleagues, as well as photographs of him through his young life.
Emma Buxton, Barry’s wife, said in the programme that the match would be a ‘fitting tribute’.
She said: “Today’s event in his memory is just the type of event Baz would have loved to have headed up and is a fitting tribute to the man I loved.”
