Football club offers assistance

13 May 2008 01:40pm

Players and staff at the Chinese football club owned by Sheffield United will give blood in an effort to bring aid to victims of the earthquake that rocked Sichuan province.

The Chengdu Blades, which are based just 50 miles from the epicentre of the quake, will also hand out football shirts to youngsters and visit schools affected by the disaster.

Sheffield United has pledged its support to the Chinese government in a bid to help victims of the quake.

Kevin McCabe, United's plc chairman, said he had hoped to fly in to the region as he returned from a business trip in Australia but this was impossible as the airport was closed.

He said: "With some difficulty I've been able to make contact with our colleagues in Chengdu - thankfully everyone is OK and have welcomed the offers of help and support from Sheffield.

"We will continue to liaise closely with the club and colleagues in Chengdu and have contacted the Government to offer our assistance in any way we can."

There will be a minute's silence at the next home game of the Chengdu Blades, he added.

Scott McCabe, a director of the Chengdu Blades and Sheffield United, will visit the area next month.

He said: "What was to be a 'football trip' to Chengdu in July will now be a visit next month to help the people and hopefully go some way to help raise spirits and show support from the people of Sheffield."

The Chengdu Blades team will wear black armbands and have Red Cross donation numbers on the front of their shirts during a game against Changsha on Saturday.

The Blades' sister clubs in Australia (Central Coast Mariners) and Hungary (Ferencvaros) have joined Sheffield United in the help programme.

In January 2006, Sheffield United became the first foreign team to buy a Chinese club.

© The Press Association