Doncaster Rovers braced for 'biggest event yet' as annual charity match returns for 12th year

Each summer since 2013 (aside from 2020 owing to the pandemic), the Eco-Power Stadium has hosted the 'legends' fixture to raise funds for the Eve Merton Dreams Trust. The local organisation helps dreams come true for cancer patients and their families.

This year's match takes place on Saturday (May 31) and sees a team of Rovers icons face ‘United Legends’ - players to have represented the red half of Manchester. "This is definitely the biggest event we've done so far," co-founder Martin Lawrence (Eve's son) told the Free Press.

"We sold 6,000 tickets last year and we're already well on course to beat that and, as long as the weather is nice, we expect to be over that amount this time.

"It's got bigger and bigger as it's gone on but one of the key positives for me is how much Doncaster Rovers fans have embraced it. It's almost become part of the annual calendar, being that game just after the season has finished. It's become something fans look out for now and that's great."

Undoubtedly a major factor in increased sales this year is the presence of one of the Premier League's most successful players. Ryan Giggs has 13 league title medals amid a sea of other trophies to his name and he is just one of many stars to have been persuaded to dust off their boots this weekend.

"Obviously Ryan Giggs is the marquee name," Martin says. "He'll always attract attention because he's probably one of the biggest Premier League names there's ever been so he's always going to get the attention of fans. But there's other big names too, for United and the Rovers legends.

"Negotiation for players is hard but it's all worth it once we get there. It takes about six months to organise the whole thing and it ramps up the closer we get."

Last year’s match between Rovers and Liverpool legends raised £107,192 and took the entire total raised from all previous fixtures to well over £700,000. Kick-off on Saturday is 2pm but people are encouraged to head down from midday with a flurry of activities being staged outside the east stand.

Tickets can still be purchased via the official Rovers website or from the ticket office. The Free Press will carry a full picture gallery and reaction to the game next week.