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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

North Belfast sporting legends team up for Manchester Utd match

A host of North Belfast sporting legends will don their boots in a very special charity football game next month.

The 'match for mental health' will take place at Solitude - home of Cliftonville FC - on Saturday, June 24.

It will see a team of Manchester United Legends take on a North Belfast Derby Select side which includes some iconic names such as George McMullan, Paul Leeman, Barry Johnston and Marty Tabb.

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Ex-boxers Carl Frampton and Paddy Barnes will also lace up their boots for the charity game, which has been organised by and to help TAMHI (Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues).

TAMHI works with sports clubs and groups to raise awareness of mental health and resilience.

Other former Crues and Reds players taking part in the match include Ryan Catney, Declan O'Hara, Davy Rainey, Michael Dougherty, Timmy Adamson and Declan Caddell, who still plays despite announcing his retirement last summer.

Meanwhile, the Manchester United Legends team is set to feature former Old Trafford stars Lee Sharpe and Jaap Stam.

A TAMHI spokesperson said: "This is a charity football match for mental health in Belfast. North Belfast is an area adversely affected by suicide and we are all united to tackle the issue.

"So this game will help tackle awareness of mental health issues and we are delighted that we have so many iconic names taking part.

"North Belfast has one highest levels of suicide in Northern Ireland, but when it comes to mental health there is no division."

The afternoon will also see members of the public take to the pitch against the Manchester United Legends, while a team of Northern Ireland comediens including Shane Todd and William Thompson will also try their luck against the Red Devils.

Speaking to Belfast Live previously, Mickey Meehan, from TAMHI said: "We are bringing over Manchester United legends to Belfast. It is former United players, and there'll be three sections of a match at Solitude.

"They will be playing a showcase against a Cliftonville/Crusaders select and we will also have members of the public playing against Manchester United.

"There will then be an evening event at The Lansdowne Hotel and we have to say, we has been totally blown away with the support and generosity shown by the hotel. The team there is helping us bring these legends to Belfast and have actually given us their rooms and function room for free, to support our charity.

"It is set to be a really brilliant day, with kick-off at 2pm. It is obviously a fundraising event and TAMHI will be working with those who are set to play the legends, right up to the event, to help them to build self esteem. and take part in mental health games too.

The Lansdowne Hotel is supporting TAMHI (TAMHI)

"The mascots themselves will be local people who have been affected by suicide. It''ll be free for them to go in and watch. It just is a huge positive event. Bringing United legends to North Belfast has never been done like this and we are working through Legends XI, based in Belfast.

"To anyone thinking of coming, we just want to say come along. It will be a fantastic event, full of positivity, and good craic as well. We are really looking forward to it."

You can buy tickets here or get more information from TAMHI through this link.

For anyone in distress or despair, contact Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 or visit www.lifelinehelpline.info

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