Adam Siddorn: Kieran Nye Memorial Cup.
On Sunday 29th May at 2pm, Wirral Radio will face a team of Tranmere Legends at Ashville FC to raise money for the Martin Gallier Project in the memory of former Wirral Radio player Kieran Nye.
Organiser and Wirral Radio FC manager Adam Siddorn spoke ahead of the game, which is set to be a great day for everyone attending.
How much planning goes into the charity games that you organise? Who came up with the idea for it and has everything gone as smoothly as you would’ve liked?
It takes a hell of a lot of planning, we started planning this match just before Christmas. You’ve got to get your players signed up and organise other little bits such as the raffle prizes but this is our tenth year doing it. This year I’ve made sure we’ve got a very big squad, everything has gone how we would’ve planned, there are things around the pitch to keep people entertained across the course of the day and we’re now ready for the kick off.
The game has been named the Kieran Nye memorial cup, would you be able to tell me and others reading about Kieran?
Kieran was a Wirral Radio player and the last time we played a charity match was 2019 at Heswall, it was the last match we organised before the lockdown. The charity match came, it was a great game and great night but the next day I received a call that said he had committed suicide so that was a hell of a shock to the football team and many others. It was a very emotional time and we’d always wanted to do something that remembers him.
We’re raising money for the Martin Gallier project in New Ferry, they’re a suicide prevention and mental healthy chatity. They offered us support and help when Kieran died, for that I’ll always be eternally grateful. The work they do is wonderful so it’s a no-brainer that everything we do on the day of the game is donated to them.
The interview, relating to mental health, that you did with Kane Hemmings on Tranmere’s official Youtube Channel was quite good and insightful I thought.
Kane’s a great talker and he’s been through difficulties in the past which he spoke about in the interview, the fact he can be so open will hopefully encourage others to do the same. I thought it was really important that he spoke to us.
Just touching on some of the ex-pro’s that will play in the game, who will they be and have some played in previous charity games that you’ve organised?
Yeah, we have some seasoned pros. Gareth Roberts has played in all of the games, Danny Holmes, Clint Hill played last time, Danny Harrison, Ged Brannan, Alex Hay, Alan Navarro. However, there will be some debut’s too: Steve McNulty, Anthony Kay, Abdoulaye Bell-Baggie and James Norwood. It’ll be superb to see Norwood back in a Rovers shirt and raising money for a great charity.
Would you be able to tell us what activities/things are there to do and see before and after the game for people to make a day of the occasion?
There’s all sorts on across the course of the day, the doors open from 1pm and there will be bars and stalls including a paintballing stall. The game kicks off at 2pm, there will be a crossbar challenge at half time and some signed balls will be able to be won in the raffle. Jordan Edwards has kindly donated his services and will be performing, the bar is open till late. It’s a full day, evening and night and everyone is welcome to come down.
Focusing on Wirral Radio, as the game is Wirral Radio v Tranmere Legends, how are they doing recently?
We’ve finished mid-table in Division One so we’re doing okay but you can’t compare us to the legends! I’m fully expecting the legends to put at least five or six past us! Some of the team are Tranmere fans though so it’ll be a great experience for them to come up against the players. It’s a huge huge occasion and they feel very proud to be able to represent Kieran.
Has Wirral Radio ever beat the Legends?
Never, never never won. However, we’ve scored four against them in all of the meetings so if we score a goal it’s game on!
How can people buy tickets for the game?
You can pay on the day, £5 adults £2 for Under-18s. There are links on the social’s, on Twitter and Facebook under Wirral Radio v TRFC Legends, too for people to buy tickets.