Packed Loftus Road Sees Celebs and Ex-footballers in Game 4 Grenfell

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Team Ferdinand wins as Olly Murs scores penalty against Jose Mourinho

Sir Mo Farah congratulated by Peter Crouch. Picture: QPR

A full Loftus Road this Saturday (2 September) saw two sides combining ex-professional footballers and celebrities play a close fought game to raise money for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

There were 17,468 at the stadium which is within walking distance of the location of the tragedy in which 80 people lost their lives this June.

The teams were managed by two former England centre forwards, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer. Team Ferdinand got off to a flying start with Sir Mo Farah scoring past David James in the first minute.

Team Shearer equalised not long after when after excellent work from Danny Jones of McFly, Trevor Sinclair scored from close range although the replay showed he was a long way offside.

The match then paused in the 35th minute as a special substitution took place. Both Team Shearer and Team Ferdinand brought on firefighters Gregg Jules, Adam Foster, David Badillo and Dean Smith who attended the disaster on the night of 14 June.

QPR legend Sinclair put Team Shearer ahead three minutes after the start of the second half with a clever free-kick. The former West Ham and Manchester City winger cheekily chipped a set-piece in off the post of Shay Given’s goal from 20-yards to make it 2-1.

Only the woodwork saved the blushes of Game of Throne’s star Iain Glen - aka Ser Jorah Mormont - after James Bay’s cutback from Andy Sinton’s initial cross cannoned back off the upright to prevent an own goal.

Olly Murs smashes a penalty passed 'the Special One'. Picture: QPR

‘Sir’ Les Ferdinand came on and nearly equalised only to be denied by a fantastic stop by David James much to the disappointment of all the QPR fans in the crowd. Les limped off shortly afterwards.

There was some good natured booing when Team Shearer brought on Jose Mourinho as a replacement goal keeper although this turned to cheers when referee Mark Halsey gave him a yellow card for time-wasting.

Chris Edwards of Kasabian then had Loftus Road rocking when he equalised for Team Ferdinand 15 minutes from time after Stan Collymore squared to the bassist at the back post and he finished from close range to make it 2-2.

In another touching moment the match paused on 80 minutes to remember the 80 victims of the disaster and four survivors - Shahin Sadafi, Oluwaseun Talabi, Bobby Ross and Paul Mencer - from the tower came on for the final 10 minutes to a standing ovation from the crowd.
It remained 2-2 at full-time meaning the game went to penalties.

Shahin Sadafi, resident from the tower, stepped up first and despite Mourinho getting a foot to it he put Team Ferdinand 1-0 up in the shoot-out. Firefighter David Badillo was first up for Team Shearer but he struck the crossbar as it remained 1-0. Another resident, Oluwaseun Talabi, was up next for Team Shearer and he tucked it away coolly into the top corner from 12-yards as they levelled up at 1-1. Firefighter Adam Foster then converted for Team Ferdinand before resident Omar Salha also scored for Team Ferdinand to make it 3-1. Mourinho then converted his spot kick for Team Shearer to make it 3-2 before firefighter Dean Smith made it 3-3. Another of our firefighters, Gregg Jules, then scored for Team Ferdinand before Olly Murs scored the winner to make it 5-3 as Team Ferdinand secured victory on a memorable day for the local community.

Team Ferdinand celebrate their victory. Picture: QPR

Team Ferdinand: David Seaman, Danny Gabbidon, Clint Hill, Ben Shephard, Clive Wilson, Mo Farah, Damian Lewis, DJ Spoony, Olly Murs, Peter Crouch, Marcus Mumford.
Subs: Stan Collymore, Shay Given, Andy Impey, Tinie Tempah, Wretch 32, Marc Bircham, Serge Pizzorno, Jack Whitehall, Paul Merton, Chris Edwards, Iain Glen, Damien Duff, Chris ‘Woody’ Wood, Shahin Sadafi (Resident), Omar Salha (Volunteer), Gregg Jules (Firefighter), Adam Foster (Firefighter).

Team Shearer: David james, Ralf Little, Des Walker, Danny Jones, Lee Mack, Darren Campbell, Jamie Redknapp, Jamie Dornan, Trevor Sinclair, Chris Sutton, Ben Cohen.
Subs: Jose Mourinho, Jody Morris, Dave, Richard Ashcroft, Andy Sinton, Jarvis Cocker, James Bay, Ed Westwick, Kevin Gallen, Tamer Hassan, Russell Howard, Paul Bullion, Steve Mackey, Oluwaseun Talabi (Resident), Bobby Ross (Resident), Paul Menacer (Resident), David Badillo (Firefighter), Dean Smith (Firefighter).

Find out more at Game4Grenfell.

 

September 4, 2017

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