FANS of a legendary Barry Island football team man are hoping to raise some vital funds with a charity football match in his memory.

The Barry Island community, and the whole of Barry, is invited to remember Mike Miles and support Marie Curie by going pitch-side at Maslin Park, on Sunday, September 6.

The 62-year-old dad-of-three and granddad-of-one died of cancer on January 2 this year.

He was well known for his involvement with the Barry Island YPO (Young Peoples’ Organisation) team from 1987 to the late 1990s.

The club catered for eight to nine-year-olds, before progressing to under 10s and under 12s and ultimately under 16s.

Friend and match organiser, Mike Heffernan said: “He said, “We’ll have a training session on Tuesday and if there are more than 15 people there we’ll set up a football team.

“Whatever needed to be done, Mike was there to do it. He drove the minibus and obviously helped washing the kit. He was absolutely indispensable. I couldn’t have done it without it and I don’t suppose he could have done it without me. We were a double act. He’s held in really high esteem. I reckon we are going to raise a bit of money for Marie Curie and that’s what it’s about. Mike was an absolute diamond. I know it’s a cliché, but you’ll be very hard pressed to find anyone with a bad word to say about him. To me that’s the measure of the man. Mike was one of life’s good guys.

“As lifelong friends we decided it would be a good idea to organise a charity match in his memory - organising a YPO Tigers XI v rest of the World XI.

“It will be a good day and the Barry Island community will feel that they’ve done something. They went to the funeral, they paid their respects but they wanted to do something more. There’s an element of closure with this.”

Friend Jeff Francis, 63, of The Bassett, added: “Mike was the certain guy where there was always something going on. He had a great sense of humour. We couldn’t have put up a plaque. He wouldn’t have wanted that, but a charity event he would have loved.”

Contributions to Marie Curie, in Mike’s memory, can be made directly to Mike or Jeff or brought to the game on the day.

Players can register to play, on the day, for £5.

Kick-off at Maslin Park, Barry Island is at 1pm on Sunday, September 6

Supporters will also rally to celebrate and raise money, through a raffle, at the Barry Island Sports & Social Club, post-match.

For more details, call Mike Heffernan on 01446 739944.