Altrincham FC are holding a charity football match at their J Davidson Stadium to help raise funds for ayoung boy’scancer treatment and some famous faces are set toplay their partthis February.
Parents Chloe and Thomas Spurr learned of their four-year-old son Rio’s cancer diagnosis earlier this year after a stomach ache that they thought was nothing more than constipation saw the poor little lad become violently ill just days later.
Following a visit to A&E, Rio’s mum and dad were left heartbroken as doctors found a “nasty lump” on his right kidney which turned out to be a Wilms tumour, a very rare type of kidney cancer that only affects around 80 children in the UK every year.
With the help of Altrincham and charity football match organisers Sellebrity Soccer, along with their main sponsor Chris Hamlett, Managing Director of Armstrong Projects Limited, Chloe and Tom are doing their best to try and get him the help he needs.
Celebrities from the world of television and drama are heading to The J.Davidson Stadium early next month to take part in a fundraising game for four-year-old Rio Spurr.
Having been undergoing chemo and radiotherapy since April, as well as a four-hour surgery to remove the tumour, Chloe and Tom are now looking to try new treatments and clinical trials available overseas.
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That’s why this fundraiser is so vital in ensuring this ‘Wilms Warrior’ gets the care he needs. Writing in the description of his GoFundMe, ex-pro father Tom says: “Rio is the most beautiful, courageous and special little boy and he deserves every possible fighting chance of surviving this cruel disease.
“We are SO proud of Rio! Beyond proud of both him and his little brother… They are both remarkable little boys! Rio has been through far too much already and a lot more to come but still, he continues to smile and sing his way through this hideous disease.”
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Having heard about this little man’s inspiring battle, dozens of celebrities and notable names including Josh Ritchie, Dean Gaffney and James Arthur, as well as both current and former Alty players, are lacing up their boots to help raise money.
Thanks to the generosity of more than 1,700 incredible donors, the Spurr family have already raised over £78,000 of their £250,000 target and that’s the only goal we care about.
Better still, with ticket sales and concessions on the day, not to mention the chance to meet and greet the players in the VIP lounge before and after the game, the total fundraising amount is only going to get bigger.
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These lot are doing Rio Spurr and his family proud and so can you.
For those of you who fancy coming to cheer on the celebs and show your support for little Rio on Sunday 12 February, adult tickets are £12, under 18’s just £7 and a VIP spot will cost you just £30.
You can buy tickets HERE and those remaining will also be made available for purchase on the day. Most importantly, all the proceeds will be going towards helping Rio and his family fight this. Entry to the historic Moss Lane ground starts from 3:30pm and kick-off is at 5pm.
Corey Blackett-Taylor ruled out injured for the rest of the season
Danny Jones
Bolton Wanderers winger Corey Blackett-Taylor has been ruled out for the rest of the season following injury.
With not that long left in this year’s campaign and the playoff scrap set to ramp up even further in the coming weeks, it’s an unfortunate twist of fate for the Trotters.
Despite still being only a relatively recent signing, having just joined Bolton in the most recent January transfer window, it didn’t take long for him to make a good impression.
Scoring on debut in a 1-0 away win against AFC Wimbledon, the 28-year-old is now set to miss the remainder of the 2025/26 term, letting supporters know the news on Friday, 27 March.
Blackett-Taylor was forced off in the game against Rotherham United after pulling up in the wake of taking a shot, ultimately being subbed in the first half.
It was quickly confirmed to be a thigh injury, and while the specific nature and severity of the damage haven’t been fully detailed, he has now informed fans that his season is over.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “Instantly from arriving at the club, I felt the passion and support from the fans, club, staff and players.
“I have no doubts [about] the club achieving their targets of promotion – I want to say a huge thank you for making me feel so welcomed and comfortable. Unfortunately, my season is concluded due to my injury, but I’ll be here supporting the team to the very end.”
He isn’t the only impactful League One player at a side eyeing up the Championship to have been hampered by setbacks on the physio bench, with rivals Stockport County also confirming an absence at this crucial point in the campaign.
Not ideal for either of the Greater Manchester hopefuls.
Once again, while the recovery period for both of these players has already begun, the exact timelines for their return remain to be seen.
That being said, chances are we’ll see the Derby County loanee back in action before Hills, though we’ll have to wait to find out whether it will be at the Toughsheet Stadium or back with his parent club.
Who do you think is going to clinch that third promotion place at Wembley come this May?
The Oldham Man and The Sea: the documentary about the Latics owner’s record-breaking Atlantic voyage
Danny Jones
It doesn’t matter if you’re not an Athletic fan or native to the borough; we think everyone should go along to watch the much-anticipated documentary about football club owner Frank Rothwell and his record-breaking journey across the Atlantic Ocean: The Oldham Man And The Sea.
One of the simplest and most satisfying names for a film we’ve heard in a long time.
For anyone who doesn’t know about the Oldham Athletic FC chairman turned OBE’s incredible story, Frank Rothwell has set multiple records with his impressive sea-faring feats in recent times.
This new doc, which just premiered at this year’s Manchester Film Festival, charts his latest trip across one of the biggest bodies of water on the planet in March 2024.
As you can see from the recent trailer, it’s almost as arduous a tale as the original Hemingway story.
This movie – produced by Journeyman Pictures and Chief Productions – made its full debut at the Odeon in Great Northern Warehouse for MFF 2026, and is set to have a number of other screenings in and around Greater Manchester in the coming weeks and months.
One of those is happening rather soon, in fact, over at Saddleworth’s Millgate Arts Centre on Saturday, 28 March, which is ideal for those local to the region; grab your tickets now.
ln fact, there’s also one happening even closer to his hometown the following month, with Oldham’s very own Queen Elizabeth Hall also hosting a special screening of Rothwell’s incredible achievement.
You can reserve your seats for that one right HERE.
Having not only become the eldest (70) Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge finisher back in 2021, but now holding the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to ever complete the crossing while rowing solo at 73 years old, he’s become nothing short of a local hero – and that’s just his stewardship of the Latics…
The film does, obviously, touch on his time at the helm of the League Two side, who finally returned to the EFL last June, but the heart and soul of this inspiring watch is the sail itself.
More importantly, it also documents not just the gruelling nature of the 64-day, seven-hour and 53-minute trek, but also how Frank has now helped raise more than £1.4 million on behalf of Alzheimer’s Research UK.
What an absolute icon.
Hopefully, this should be just about all the reason you need to watch The Oldham Man And The Sea the very next opportunity you get to do so – and, of course, all proceeds from ticket sales will also be going to charity, because just the kind of bloke he is.
And here’s hoping we get a streaming version sometime soon.
Danny Jones -
26th November 2022 
