East Lancs derby rivals’ charity clash (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancs derby rivals’ charity clash

11:53am Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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EAST Lancashire’s big football rivalry will help to raise funds for a cancer charity this weekend ahead of the big derby match at the end of the month.

A Burnley v Blackburn Rovers supporters match is to be held at the neutral venue of Wilson’s playing fields in Clayton-le-Moors on Sunday.

Organisers, Clarets fan Marc Fretwell and Rovers fan Lee Pickering, said the match would help whet the appetite ahead of the first top-flight derby at Turf Moor for more than 40 years on March 28.

The workmates, who are based in the policy unit at County Hall, Preston, said the match will raise hundreds of pounds for Marie Curie Cancer Care in honour of Marc’s mother Janice, who is fighting ovarian cancer.

And the pair said they hoped a good crowd of fans would cheer the two sides on.

They have picked the teams from friends in the two towns.

Marc, 25, who lives in Ightenhill, Burnley, said: “It is going to be great fun and no-one involved will want to lose against the enemy. It is a match for charity so we don’t want any ill-feeling, just a bit of fun banter.”

The match kicks off at 11am and it is hoped to organise other activities on the day including a crossbar challenge and raffle.

Lee, of Accrington, said: “I am very confident about the Rovers fans winning. We’ll make sure that it is played in the right spirit. It is a nice head-to-head before the real big game.”