Morpeth football coach organises charity match after suffering a heart attack in last year's game

Action from last year's game. Picture: Morpeth Town Junior FC

A football coach who suffered a heart attack while playing last year is organising a charity game – and hoping to take part himself after being given the all-clear by doctors.

Stu Evans, one of the coaches of the U12 Topcats girls’ team at Morpeth Town Junior Football Club, played in the coaches versus coaches match last year, suffering a heart attack during the game.

This year the game will be held to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Prostate Cancer, and will feature two former professionals, the ex-Newcastle United left back Olivier Bernard and ex-Leicester City player Trevor Benjamin.

Evans hopes the manager of Morpeth Town, Craig Lynch, and a few of his backroom staff will also take part.

The BHF is a cause that Evans is keen to support, for obvious reasons. He said he felt a tightening in his chest three weeks before his heart attack and put it down to the gardening he had done. He added: “I’m lucky to be here, I was going to go for a run, I could have been lying dead by a roadside.”

He has had a stent put in and hopes to play in the charity match, having been given the go-ahead to exercise by his doctors.

The match will be held at Craik Park on Friday, August 18, from 6.30pm.

Last year’s match attracted a crowd of about 300 and Evans hopes this year’s attendance will be nearer 500.

The bar will be open and there will be a raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses, and live music after the match.

Entry is £2 for adults, £1 for children.