Charity cash proves Thurso team's a winner
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Thurso Rangers took their annual Davie Cooper Memorial Cup event to a new level this year when they raised £2500 for the Rangers Fans Fighting Fund and Cancer Research UK – the latter in memory of local woman Dianne Allan.
The sevens side hold the cup event at the Naver all-weather pitch to pay tribute to Davie Cooper, the Rangers legend and Scottish international who died in 1995 of a brain haemorrhage.
As well taking the cup again this year, Thurso Rangers felt they were winners twice over, thanks to the support the after-match charity auction received, according to club chairman Alyn Gunn.
“The amount of effort put into this event by everyone involved has been tremendous,” he said.
“It really has been staggering how many people were willing to support the club and for that reason it has helped us to raise over £2500 for the charities, which has exceeded my expectations.”
The Rangers Fans Fighting Fund supports the Glasgow club during its current financial difficulties while the donation to the cancer charity pays tribute to Dianne who died aged just 25 in January after battling the disease.
Her family and partner, Steven Morris, were devastated by their loss, as were friends and colleagues.
Steven plays with Thurso Swifts and the tragedy touched many of his fellow town footballers. This prompted Thurso Rangers players to add the charity aspect to the annual challenge.
At full time last Sunday, Thurso Rangers beat Young Spurs 3-2, with the final goal coming in the last 30 seconds.
Thurso Rangers went 2-0 up thanks to a couple of thunderbolt shots from Nigel Mackenzie and Russell Bain. Young Spurs replied through Darren Banks and a cracking finish from Gary Farquhar.
With time nearly up, Thurso Rangers threw plenty of men forward in search for the winner and it came through a tap-in from man-of-the-match John Holmes.
Former Rangers player and current Wick Academy manager Davie Kirkwood was on hand to present the cup and medals, as well as hosting a question and answer session in the Orange Room at the Park Hotel.
This was followed by the charity auction. Rangers fans from across the county donated prizes for this and some local businesses even helped make prizes.
Mr Gunn said he is grateful to all those who worked hard to make it all come together on the day.
Meanwhile, after several days of negotiations, player Nigel Mackenzie agreed to become the new manager of Thurso Rangers AFC.
This means Mr Gunn can finally take a back seat after seven years as skipper. He will now officially take up the chairman’s position.
“Nigel has plenty of experience to handle this job through playing for Wick, Brora, Thurso, Pentland United and more,” said Mr Gunn. “I’m confident that he’s the right man for it.”
