Eve Merton's Trust Charity Game - Sat 23rd May, 2pm.
The current Rovers centre back is doing his bit for a Doncaster Cancer Charity this weekend but it’s not in way you’d expect.The Eve Merton Dreams Trust are holding their 3rd annual Charity Legends Football Match this Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday May 23rd and Butler is doing his bit, but not as a player!
Butler, a qualified referee, is stepping in to the breach to replace last year’s cult referee Uriah Rennie and will put himself to the test against players he once watched himself on TV and has his sights set on being a Premier League referee one day to prove that professional footballers would make the best referees.
Nobody has done it before and Andy wants to the be the first, but being a low level referee moving up the ranks isn’t always as smooth as you’d imagine.
During one game he had to call a halt to proceedings when a policeman ran across the pitch chasing a man; “There was this bloke legging it and the copper was after him, straight across the parks pitch we were on. I had to hold the game up while they got on with it,” laughed Butler.
“There’s been people running the line that have been known to throw the flag down and storm off when they have not agreed with his decisions as well as a time I had to stop the game I was in charge of because there was so much fighting going off on the pitch next door!”
Saturday’s events should be much less controversial in an event that will include a team of local fundraisers, mostly made up of school teachers representing their schools, taking on a team of ex-professional footballers from England’s top flight. Those Legends will include Italia '90 legend Des Walker, Euro '96 & Spurs Hero Darren Anderton, Crazy Gang captain & 1988 Penalty saving goalkeeper Dave Beasant & many more.
Due to that they have reduced ticket prices by 50% for all Rovers season ticket holders. General prices are:
• £5 Adult
• £3 Child
• £10 Family (2 Adult, 2 Child)
The event is not only about football, it’s also a cheap, fun family day out for the Bank Holiday. Outside the ground, pre-match (From 11:00am), will include Bouncy Castles, Slides, Face Painting, Outdoor Disco AND a chance to meet Comic Con characters such as, The Transformers, Iron Man, The Iron Patriot, Spiderman, Minions and even Elsa from Frozen.
Where else could you have a full family day out for £10?