Posted: Thu 6th Apr 2023

Buckley rivals reunite for Charity Match in memory of former player and police officer

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 6th, 2023

Buckley Town and Buckley Lions, two of the fiercest youth football rivals, are set to put their long-held rivalry aside in a charity match to pay tribute to PC Ryan Donaldson, a former player of both teams who tragically died in December aged 31. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The match will be held in Buckley, the hometown Ryan loved and where he spent his entire life. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ryan was a well-known, loved and respected member of the Buckley community. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He attended Mountain Lane Primary and Elfed High School before working in retail locally. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In 2018, he joined North Wales Police, a role he took great pride in. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The two youth teams, whose final match against each other took place in 2008 in the under-16 age category, will once again face off with the same starting eleven players on each side and even the same managers. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The 2008 match saw Ryan, then Buckley Town’s star striker, score a late winner – a moment he cherished dearly and took great pleasure in reminding people of at every opportunity. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Community members are encouraged to attend the charity match to not only enjoy watching some ‘out-of-shape 30-somethings’ battle it out one last time but also to honour Ryan’s memory and support a worthwhile cause. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The proceeds from the match will be donated to the Police Treatment Centres charity, an organisation providing support to serving and retired officers who have experienced illness or injury. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

To donate click here ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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