Gasheads have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play at the Mem alongside Premier League and Champions League winners at a charity game in support of Bristol Rovers legend Marcus Stewart.
The 50-year-old, a prolific striker for the Gas, Ipswich Town, Sunderland, Bristol City and others during his playing days, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) last year, and he wants to make a difference for future sufferers of the life-limiting condition.
Supported by family and friends, Stewart will host the South West Legends vs All-Star XI game at the Mem on May 13, with Manchester United icons Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, plus England Lioness Jill Scott and former Tottenham and Aston Villa striker Darren Bent among those set to be involved, with Gas hero Darrell Clarke and former Rovers boss Paul Tisdale managing the teams.
Organisers have announced that two fans will win a spot in the teams, giving them the chance to take to the Mem turf for 15 minutes to play alongside stars from the football world and beyond. To enter the competition, supporters have been urged to make a donation of £10 or more using this link.
Speaking at a launch press conference in January, Stewart encouraged fans to support the event, which is raising money for charities The Darby Rimmer Foundation and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
He said: "I hope to have a good knees-up before and after and that’s what it’s all about; it’s a celebration if I’m honest with you.
"There is a bit of awareness, but this is a football celebration. There will be fans who want to see people they’ve never seen play in their life. Their dads might’ve told them about Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes, but they won’t know who they are, so this is a celebration and that is how I see it. In the meantime, we are going to raise some money for a good cause."
MND is a condition that affects the brain and nerves, significantly shortening life expectancy. There is no cure, but Stewart and his family have already raised tens of thousands of pounds since his diagnosis to support charities and research efforts.
In an interview with Bristol Live about his health and looking back on a distinguished career, Stewart said in January: "I’m OK. My symptoms are good, I’m good and nothing has evolved or progressed much. I’ve still got a weak hand and a weak arm, but I can still talk and I can still walk, I can still ride a bike and I can still drive.
"In my mind, there is not a lot wrong with me. I just have to adapt when it comes to carrying things with my left hand. I am quite slim anyway, but my left hand is a lot slimmer than the rest of my body and I struggle to carry things, but otherwise, I’m pretty normal, I’m still on the bike and I’m pretty active at the moment."
Tickets for the game, priced £10-20, are available from Rovers' ticketing site.
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