A charity football match being held in memory of an Elgin teenager has won the backing of Dons boss Derek McInnes and former captain Russell Anderson.
The pair have thrown their weight behind the event, which has been organised to remember Keiran MacRonald, who lost his battle with leukaemia earlier this year.
The 19-year-old’s girlfriend Lilian Macdonald has arranged the game at the Banks O’Dee club in Aberdeen on June 19.
The Dons fan’s family and friends will take on his former teammates from Westdyke Football Club.
And now, the two Pittodrie luminaries have lent their support to the venture, which will raise money for Friends of Anchor.
Mr Anderson said: “Keiran’s untimely passing, at such a young age, is an absolute tragedy and it’s wholly appropriate that money is being raise for Friends of Anchor, who do such unbelievable work.
“I am certain that Dons fans will turn out in force in memory of such a devoted member of the Red Army.”
Mr McInnes added: “It is tremendous that Keiran’s friends and family are remembering him in this way.
“I’m sure that any of our supporters who can get along will attend for what is such a worthwhile cause.”
Miss MacDonald, 19, has already used her vocal talent to raise significant sums to fight cancer by releasing her songs as a tribute to her late boyfriend. Now she wants to tap into his sporting passion.
She said: “It was his idea in the first place. When he had a break in his treatment two years ago, he really wanted to organise a football match as a nice day out.
“Things happened though and we never got round to doing it. So we want to do it now to honour him.
“Football was a massive part of Keiran’s life before he was diagnosed. He was obsessed with it and was always talking about it. He loved it.”
Miss MacDonald has already raised thousands of pounds to help fight the illness. The songwriter donated more than £2000 to the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity from the proceeds of her touching memorial, Never Be Alone, which was watched over 110,000 times online.
