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Sylar
25-01-2015, 03:08 PM
Regardless to what your thoughts on the old/current incumbents of Ibrox and those who associate with them, credit to the fans of Rangers today who have absolutely packed out Ibrox for the tribute match for Fernando Ricksen, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease 2 years ago. From seeing the pictures around the ground, it seems there are a lot of fans of other clubs in attendance too, openly wearing their own team colours.

They're having a Rangers Select vs All Star match with some of the stars of past years at Ibrox vs a selection of other players with all proceeds going to MND Scotland and the Rangers Charity Foundation.

A horrible disease and it's a shame to see what it does to so many. I don't have any particularly fond memories of Ricksen as a player, as he was constantly a vicious, snarly and generally odious guy but he was a cracking player and is a young man with a young family :agree: - his case has been a sad one for such a fit young man to succumb to the effects of MND.

Sir David Gray
25-01-2015, 03:13 PM
What's happened to Ricksen is a tragedy and my heart goes out to him and his family.

Motor Neurone Disease is an awful illness for anyone to get, never mind a 38 year old who should be in the prime of his life and it's something that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

I hope today is a massive success and that lots of funds are raised towards a worthy cause.

3pm
25-01-2015, 03:16 PM
Is McCoist there?

Reports suggesting he was barred which was poor fettle bearing in the mind circumstances.

21.05.2016
25-01-2015, 03:17 PM
What's happened to Ricksen is a tragedy and my heart goes out to him and his family.

Motor Neurone Disease is an awful illness for anyone to get, never mind a 38 year old who should be in the prime of his life and it's something that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

I hope today is a massive success and that lots of funds are raised towards a worthy cause.

My thoughts exactly :agree:

hibby6270
25-01-2015, 03:18 PM
Can't disagree with the OP comments and sentiment. :agree:

Debilitating and non curable diseases are a nightmare for all closely associated with the person who is ill. Personal experience with my parents sadly.

There was talk that the game was only half subscribed earlier this week, so good on the extra punters who have turned up. :thumbsup:

hibsbollah
25-01-2015, 03:44 PM
A rangers fan from work was going today, and I almost let him have both barrels about what a dirty ****er Ricksen was as a player (off the ball elbow in Riordans coupon springs to mind). I didn't know about his diagnosis so im glad I didn't. My aunt died of MND, a terrible illness.

BOB MARLEYS DUG
25-01-2015, 04:16 PM
McCoist not in attendance. Hope today is a big success for them and my heart goes out to Fernando Ricksen and his family. The reception he got was marvellous (well deserved too) and he was in tears. He is a credit to their club and is loves by the fans.


Also good to see Celtic donating 10,000 aswell :top marks

21.05.2016
25-01-2015, 04:21 PM
Is McCoist there?

Reports suggesting he was barred which was poor fettle bearing in the mind circumstances.

Really poor if thats the case.

CraigHibee
25-01-2015, 04:21 PM
hate both the old firm but I hope there is a good turn out for him and I hope a big amount is raised as well

NadeAteMyLunch!
25-01-2015, 04:28 PM
Horrible illness. My neighbour died from it last year.
Ricksen looked so ill when he was walking out the tunnel.

SteveHFC
25-01-2015, 04:47 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

Winston Ingram
25-01-2015, 05:07 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

That's heartbreaking.🙊

Lucius Apuleius
25-01-2015, 05:08 PM
Some things transcend football rivalry. Anything that raises the profile of diseases that most are unaware of is good.

bingo70
25-01-2015, 05:13 PM
Really poor if thats the case.

I can understand it.

There's a chance it could turn into the ally mccoist show, some fans could end up singing his name as a way of having a go at the board and there'll be others that are bitter about him not taking a wage cut sooner or agreeing to walk away with no compensation. This games not about him so no need for him to be there.

Fwiw I hope ricksen makes a recovery (if his illness is something you can recover from? Excuse my ignorance). Must be a horrible thing for his family to have to deal with, can't imagine what they're all going through.

I don't think I'd ever be able to find it in me to give credit to their fans for anything though, disgusting football club and I absolutely despise everything they stand for.

Pretty Boy
25-01-2015, 05:15 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

I'm almost ashamed to say that after hearing about his diagnosis I really couldn't muster much sympathy. My abiding memory of Ricksen was as a thug on the park and not a particularly decent person of it. I obviously didn't wish him ill but I wasn't struck with sympathy.

But seeing the state he is in there and the emotion puts all that I said above in perspective. It's horrible to see and I wish him well for as long as possible.

Broken Gnome
25-01-2015, 05:15 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

There are many things in my eye right now...

HIBERNIAN-0762
25-01-2015, 05:27 PM
Tragic to watch that regardless of what I think of him or his team.

silverhibee
25-01-2015, 05:30 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

Very sad indeed.

Sir David Gray
25-01-2015, 05:41 PM
I can understand it.

There's a chance it could turn into the ally mccoist show, some fans could end up singing his name as a way of having a go at the board and there'll be others that are bitter about him not taking a wage cut sooner or agreeing to walk away with no compensation. This games not about him so no need for him to be there.

Fwiw I hope ricksen makes a recovery (if his illness is something you can recover from? Excuse my ignorance). Must be a horrible thing for his family to have to deal with, can't imagine what they're all going through.

I don't think I'd ever be able to find it in me to give credit to their fans for anything though, disgusting football club and I absolutely despise everything they stand for.

There's no recovery from Motor Neurone Disease.

It's incurable.

bingo70
25-01-2015, 05:43 PM
There's no recovery from Motor Neurone Disease.

It's incurable.

Bloody shame. Can't be many things in life worse than that.

JJP
25-01-2015, 05:50 PM
I was at Ibrox today. Credit to all those involved because it was a great attendance for a great cause. Bless Fernando and his family.

Sylar
25-01-2015, 05:50 PM
There's no recovery from Motor Neurone Disease.

It's incurable.

And sadly, terminal.

Harrowing to watch that but he'll remember that and hold on to it for the rest of his life.

Frogga
25-01-2015, 05:58 PM
Anyone who doesn't know how hard this will be for him simply needs to watch 'Theory of Everything' (the film about Stephen Hawking). I feel for him but it's nice to see football being used to bring people together like this. God bless him.

Sir David Gray
25-01-2015, 06:02 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

Regardless of your football allegiances and your thoughts on Ricksen as a player, it's impossible not to be moved by watching that.

It's so sad seeing someone who was once so fit and athletic in such a bad way.

kaimendhibs
25-01-2015, 06:08 PM
Truly heartbreaking.

aljo7-0
25-01-2015, 06:11 PM
Yup - I really disliked him with a passion as a Rangers player. Having said that I wouldn't wish that on anyone - it is a truly awful disease for him and his family. I hope today helps him in some way and raises a lot of cash for a good cause.

Thecat23
25-01-2015, 06:14 PM
Tears running down my face watching that. 😢

Keep fighting Ricksen everyone is behind you, God bless!

Greencore
25-01-2015, 06:14 PM
So much respect for Fernando Ricksen. As a footballer and human being. god bless him.:aok:

Aldo
25-01-2015, 06:24 PM
Someone posted the teams coming out followed by Ricksen with his kids on FB.

OMG This brought tears to my eyes.

Thoughts go out to him and his family. Well done to the 41,000 that turned up today!

hibs0666
25-01-2015, 06:29 PM
Rangers should be proud of what they did today.

FranckSuzy
25-01-2015, 06:32 PM
That was hard to watch but fair play to everyone involved today. All the best Fernando and keep your spirits up, there's a lot of people rooting for you :aok:

tamig
25-01-2015, 06:33 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68PmPEzQvCc :(

I never liked Ricksen as a player but that is heartbreaking. Very sad to see.

ACLeith
25-01-2015, 06:35 PM
There's no recovery from Motor Neurone Disease.

It's incurable.

.... at present. Some day they will find a cure, maybe far too late for FR, but the money raised can help the process along.

Sir David Gray
25-01-2015, 06:39 PM
.... at present. Some day they will find a cure, maybe far too late for FR, but the money raised can help the process along.

Yep, hopefully they will.

I was just replying to someone who was wondering if it would be possible for Ricksen to make a recovery.

21.05.2016
25-01-2015, 06:47 PM
Heartbreaking to watch that video

Stuarty27
25-01-2015, 06:52 PM
Absolutely tragic to see a professional football end up like that.

Guy at my work has it and it's the most horrible illness to watch someone go thru.

Hopefully one day there will be a curd for this.

PatHead
25-01-2015, 08:28 PM
Couldn't bring myself to watch the video as my father died from the disease, horrible disease and thought go to anyone suffering from it.

Great turnout at over 40,000

Bay Area Hibees
25-01-2015, 08:36 PM
Heartbreaking.
Can't watch that with dry eyes
Well done to those that went along and those that organized it.

hibbymick
25-01-2015, 08:45 PM
Heartbreaking to watch.

Was that his kids he was walking with ?

Since90+2
25-01-2015, 09:00 PM
Very sad to see.

Scary to think only 10 years ago he was a professional athlete and now he struggles to walk and lift his arms. Looks a terrible disease.

ScottB
25-01-2015, 09:55 PM
Well done to everyone involved, a moving video indeed.

Tinribs
25-01-2015, 10:01 PM
Tears running down my face watching that. 

Keep fighting Ricksen everyone is behind you, God bless!

Me too Cat, grown man of 44 here crying.

hfc rd
25-01-2015, 10:06 PM
I never liked Ricksen as a player but that is heartbreaking. Very sad to see.


This. My heart goes out to him and his family.

Sir David Gray
25-01-2015, 10:13 PM
Any further word on whether or not McCoist was there today?

Ricksen said publicly that he wanted McCoist to be there, so it would be a real shame if he wanted to be there but was prevented by the club.

JJP
25-01-2015, 10:34 PM
Any further word on whether or not McCoist was there today?

Ricksen said publicly that he wanted McCoist to be there, so it would be a real shame if he wanted to be there but was prevented by the club.

He wasn't there. If he did he didn't make himself known to the crowd.

Scottie
25-01-2015, 11:07 PM
Tragic to watch that regardless of what I think of him or his team.
:agree: Heartbreaking to watch. Keep fighting FR.

bigstu
25-01-2015, 11:34 PM
RICKSEN TRIBUTE MATCH | Fernando Kicks Off: http://youtu.be/68PmPEzQvCc

HUTCHYHIBBY
26-01-2015, 12:59 AM
RICKSEN TRIBUTE MATCH | Fernando Kicks Off: http://youtu.be/68PmPEzQvCc

Moving stuff!

Biggie
26-01-2015, 07:20 AM
Well done to everyone involved, a moving video indeed.

Couldn't have put it better myself.....tragic

CRAZYHIBBY
26-01-2015, 07:34 AM
he was a complete cock on the park but i dont doubt he wasnt a good guy off it. If he was in our team we would probably love him and others would hate him....thats football. I wish him and his family well for the future

patlowe
26-01-2015, 09:25 AM
he was a complete cock on the park but i dont doubt he wasnt a good guy off it. If he was in our team we would probably love him and others would hate him....thats football. I wish him and his family well for the future

Had a read of this piece by Graham Spiers over the weekend: http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/tortured-soul-ricksen-created-bond-with-fans-that-transcends-game.116851108

When you consider his battles with depression and alcohol, you have to look at his character on the park in a new light - I detested him at the time but it's clear that he was a troubled man. Although that sort of pales into insignificance now.

The only positive to take from all this, beyond the clear sense of community and togetherness that the tribute match shows can be fostered in football, is that this will be raising awareness of MND and increasing pressure on the powers that be to increase funding for care and research, much like Gordon Aikman's recent campaign did.

21.05.2016
26-01-2015, 09:44 AM
he was a complete cock on the park but i dont doubt he wasnt a good guy off it. If he was in our team we would probably love him and others would hate him....thats football. I wish him and his family well for the future

Football rivalry and disliking opposition players on the park is all part of the game and makes it great fun having panto villain type characters. but away from the football we are all human beings. i didn't particularly like Fernando Ricksen as a player when he played for rangers either but didn't know him personally off the park and by all accounts he was actually a decent guy It's nice to see that when things like this happen people are able to forget their football rivalries and differences and come together in support.

God bless Fernando, keep fighting!

wookie70
26-01-2015, 10:47 AM
Terrible disease and wouldn't wish it on anyone even a once hated Old Firm player. I do however have some issue with it as a fundraiser for MND. From what I read the monies raised will be split between Ricksen, his daughter, The Rangers Charity Foundation and MND Scotland. That means 3/4 of the cash will go to something other than finding a cure for MND.

From reports at the time Ricksen earned around £14000 per week. To give that some perspective the UK National Average salary was just over £15K a year. I can totally sympathise with Ricksen's condition and admire his fight but giving money to him and his family, most coming from average working class people, seems ridiculous to me. He was earning what most earned in a year every week for 6 years at Ibrox and he had a lucrative career for a few years before and after that.

JimBHibees
26-01-2015, 10:57 AM
Truly heartbreaking to see such a young man who not long ago was running around so athletically look to be in such a condition.

Fantastic turn out.

jacomo
26-01-2015, 02:30 PM
Terrible disease and wouldn't wish it on anyone even a once hated Old Firm player. I do however have some issue with it as a fundraiser for MND. From what I read the monies raised will be split between Ricksen, his daughter, The Rangers Charity Foundation and MND Scotland. That means 3/4 of the cash will go to something other than finding a cure for MND.

From reports at the time Ricksen earned around £14000 per week. To give that some perspective the UK National Average salary was just over £15K a year. I can totally sympathise with Ricksen's condition and admire his fight but giving money to him and his family, most coming from average working class people, seems ridiculous to me. He was earning what most earned in a year every week for 6 years at Ibrox and he had a lucrative career for a few years before and after that.




It's a fair point.

CropleyWasGod
26-01-2015, 02:32 PM
Terrible disease and wouldn't wish it on anyone even a once hated Old Firm player. I do however have some issue with it as a fundraiser for MND. From what I read the monies raised will be split between Ricksen, his daughter, The Rangers Charity Foundation and MND Scotland. That means 3/4 of the cash will go to something other than finding a cure for MND.

From reports at the time Ricksen earned around £14000 per week. To give that some perspective the UK National Average salary was just over £15K a year. I can totally sympathise with Ricksen's condition and admire his fight but giving money to him and his family, most coming from average working class people, seems ridiculous to me. He was earning what most earned in a year every week for 6 years at Ibrox and he had a lucrative career for a few years before and after that.




Another way to look at it is that, without the match, MND Scotland would receive nothing.

Sir David Gray
26-01-2015, 02:46 PM
Another way to look at it is that, without the match, MND Scotland would receive nothing.

:agree: I would imagine that MND Scotland will be delighted with receiving 25% of the proceeds of yesterday's match.

jacomo
26-01-2015, 03:54 PM
Another way to look at it is that, without the match, MND Scotland would receive nothing.


:agree: I would imagine that MND Scotland will be delighted with receiving 25% of the proceeds of yesterday's match.

You can say the same about almost all charitable campaigns, though. It shouldn't put them above scrutiny.

How many people at Ibrox were aware that the match was 50% testimonial, with 25% of proceeds going to Rangers own charity and the remaining 25% going to MND? If they were comfortable with that, then fine... but it does matter how such events are portrayed. The media certainly covered the event as a fundraiser for MND.

Sir David Gray
26-01-2015, 04:26 PM
You can say the same about almost all charitable campaigns, though. It shouldn't put them above scrutiny.

How many people at Ibrox were aware that the match was 50% testimonial, with 25% of proceeds going to Rangers own charity and the remaining 25% going to MND? If they were comfortable with that, then fine... but it does matter how such events are portrayed. The media certainly covered the event as a fundraiser for MND.

As well as raising funds for MND, I think another motivation for attending yesterday would have been to show support for a former player who was highly successful with their club over several years. He's now suffering from an illness which is terminal, which will quite possibly lead to his death before his 40th birthday. If that was a former Hibs player, I would go to Easter Road for a match like that.

21.05.2016
26-01-2015, 04:51 PM
Terrible disease and wouldn't wish it on anyone even a once hated Old Firm player. I do however have some issue with it as a fundraiser for MND. From what I read the monies raised will be split between Ricksen, his daughter, The Rangers Charity Foundation and MND Scotland. That means 3/4 of the cash will go to something other than finding a cure for MND.

From reports at the time Ricksen earned around £14000 per week. To give that some perspective the UK National Average salary was just over £15K a year. I can totally sympathise with Ricksen's condition and admire his fight but giving money to him and his family, most coming from average working class people, seems ridiculous to me. He was earning what most earned in a year every week for 6 years at Ibrox and he had a lucrative career for a few years before and after that.




Get your point, but think the game was more about the emotional support for Ricksen and his family and of course to raise awareness about the illness and raise money for MND charities.

wookie70
26-01-2015, 06:19 PM
Get your point, but think the game was more about the emotional support for Ricksen and his family and of course to raise awareness about the illness and raise money for MND charities.

The Ricksen family were the main financial beneficiaries. No issue with it being an awareness tool and for raising funds for MND. Just not sure why the Ricksens need the cash after what he has earned. Money has nothing to do with the emotional support which was well warranted.

The game was the equivalent of me running the marathon on behalf of cancer research with my employer organising sponsors. Would it sound right if I was pocketing a quarter, a quarter for my daughter and another quarter for my employer. That doesn't sound like a run for cancer research.

Sir David Gray
26-01-2015, 06:36 PM
The Ricksen family were the main financial beneficiaries. No issue with it being an awareness tool and for raising funds for MND. Just not sure why the Ricksens need the cash after what he has earned. Money has nothing to do with the emotional support which was well warranted.

The game was the equivalent of me running the marathon on behalf of cancer research with my employer organising sponsors. Would it sound right if I was pocketing a quarter, a quarter for my daughter and another quarter for my employer. That doesn't sound like a run for cancer research.

It's not the same at all.

The comparable situation would be that your former employer learns you have terminal cancer and decides to bring together a number of friends and former colleagues who do a fun run to raise money which will be split evenly between you, Cancer Research and a charity of your former employer's choosing. It will also be an opportunity for your friends and former colleagues to pay tribute to you in your brave fight against a serious illness.

wookie70
26-01-2015, 07:24 PM
It's not the same at all.

The comparable situation would be that your former employer learns you have terminal cancer and decides to bring together a number of friends and former colleagues who do a fun run to raise money which will be split evenly between you, Cancer Research and a charity of your former employer's choosing. It will also be an opportunity for your friends and former colleagues to pay tribute to you in your brave fight against a serious illness.

Fair enough. I am an employee who has fallen tragically ill who earned the average yearly salary for a worker every week for 6 years. My employee who cheated the Government out of huge sums, which may have been used to help with health, decides to ask my fellow millionaires and our low to middle income customers to give me some emotional support. Further to the emotional support we will advertise the event as being of benefit to the charity dedicated to my illness and charge to get in. This will help my employers (reputation) my chosen charity but most off all, financially at least, it will benefit me.

As said I have no issue if the game was organised for the MND charities financial benefit only or even split with the Rangers Charity or to just show support for Ricksen. As it is this was a benefit game for someone who earned more in a year than most of us will earn in a lifetime.