Local Tottenham super-fans, the ‘Yorkshire Spurs’, invited Hotspur legends to play against them in a charity football match last month – and they’ve smashed their fundraising goals!
The team chose to fundraise for CHSF after being inspired by their captain, Steve’s, story with congenital heart disease…
We spoke to Steve and asked him to talk to us a bit more about his story and how the whole Yorkshire Spurs team came together to raise money for good causes.
“Back in July 2019 I suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed whilst out on a run near home. After being given CPR by a passer by and a number of shocks with a defibrillator I was airlifted to LGI where I was later diagnosed with a rare congenital heart condition.
I underwent open heart surgery to fix the condition and spent three weeks in hospital under the care of the congenital cardiology team. I have since made a full recovery and remain under the care of the cardiology team who have helped to ensure that it is safe for me to return to exercising.
Despite their name, Children’s Heart Surgery Fund also help adult congenital heart patients and I have benefited directly from the knowledge they have shared of heart conditions.
The research and training that they help to fund have ensured that I’ve received the best care possible over the last few years. The equipment that they raise money for will help more patients in better ways, as well as helping to diagnose more congenital heart conditions earlier.
Through the Yorkshire Spurs supporters club we pulled a squad of players together and played a football match against a team of Spurs Legends.
As a squad we each raised money leading up to the event as well as proceeds from gate receipts, a raffle and a penalty shoot-out all being donated. It was an incredible experience for all involved.
“As a group of football-mad Spurs fans we could not think of a better way of raising money!”
We were managed by legendary former Tottenham captain Gary Mabbutt who has played against the likes of David Howells, Mark Falco and Pascal Chimbonda. Gary provided a very inspiring team talk before the match.
The result very much went in favour of the Legends and ended 9-1 but it was all about the experience for everyone involved on the day – the players, fans and organisers of the event all got to rub shoulders with heroes we used to cheer from the stands for in the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s.
Most importantly everyone was aware of the amazing amount that had been raised for both Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and the JE3 Foundation, another important heart-related charity who focus on raising awareness of CPR and ensuring that defibrillators are available in all sporting locations across the UK.
My advice to anyone thinking of fundraising would be find something that you enjoy doing and set yourself a challenging target whilst doing it. Make sure you have lots of fun and show your enthusiasm and passion both for the cause you’re raising money for and the activity you’re doing.
As a group of football-mad Spurs fans we could not think of a better way of raising money than the event we got to take part in here.
CHSF are playing an important role in ensuring that child and adult congenital heart patients across the Yorkshire region are getting the best care and treatment possible. Having gone through a number of years of treatment and care myself now, I can see the benefits that their research and funding is bringing with new technology emerging ensuring earlier detection of heart conditions.
There has been an incredible amount of work that has gone into the organisation of this event and the chairman of the Yorkshire Spurs supporters club, Paul Pavlou, should be very proud of the work he’s done in making this happen!
YORKSHIRE SPURS
MANAGER: Gary Mabbutt ASSISTANT MANAGER: George Hearson
Squad: Rich Partridge, Richard Bramham, Robin Clarke, Daniel King, Jon Wilkinson, Wayne Davies, Lee Palmer, Chris Biggs, Wayne Farmer, Rich Taylor, Rob Leonard, Dan Bramham, Damian Rushton, Paul Metcalf, Alex Jukes, Andy Arnill, Steve Reynolds, Phil Smith
SPURS LEGENDS
MANAGER: John Lacy ASSISTANT MANAGER: Steve King
Squad: Neil Sullivan, Pascal Chimbonda, Charlie Edinburgh, Brian Statham, David Kerslake, Ramon Vega, Kevin Watson, Stuart Nethercott, Clive Wilson, Andy Edmonds, Stephen Clemence, Michael Brown, Sean Davis, David Howells, Tony Galvin, Jeff Minton, Paul McVeigh, Mark Falco
A huge thank you to everyone at Yorkshire Spurs for organising this special fundraising event. Thank you to all who took part on the day and, of course, to everyone who made a donation.
In total over £4,000 raised for Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. we are so very grateful!
MORE FUNDRAISING
#TeamCHSF Dragon Boat Challenge 2025
On Saturday 12th July, the CHSF team will be competing in a Dragon Boat Race - and we'd love your support! Organised by the Rotary Club of Wakefield Chantry and Normanton, it’s a fun day for the whole family. #TeamCHSF will complete against 40 teams from local...
Heart dad, grandad and uncle ride 150 miles inspired by Isabel
Featured in: Derbyshire Times, Worksop Guardian A Derbyshire dad saddled up for a long bike ride to the coast over the weekend to add to the thousands his family have raised for a charity which supported them when his daughter was critically ill as a baby. Hospitality...
Rose’s Library
Rose O’Leary-Hall passed away in September 2023 aged just four, following a series of surgeries and treatments for the ultra-rare congenital condition Interrupted Aortic Arch, which affects only one in 50,000 babies. Rose’s parents Sue and Katie, wanted to give...