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February 22, 2005

Kenny to raise money for good causes

Posted by Editor on February 22, 2005 11:59 AM | 3 comments | Print | E-mail author

Kenny Logan wants to use his testimonial celebrations to raise cash for good causes
Kenny Logan, who is due to retire at the end of this season, will use his testimonial events to raise money for good causes.

Kenny is the first Scotland international player to be granted a testimonial season, and he and his wife have selected four causes which will benefit from a substantial percentage of funds raised. The money will be divided between cardiomyopathy charities, Dyslexia Scotland, Yorkhill Children’s Hospital, and the Scottish Rugby Union Thistle Trust, which supports schools and youth rugby.

Kenny's wife, Gabby, lost her brother Daniel in May 1992 when he died, aged 15, after a kickabout with his father, the former footballer Terry Yorath, in the garden of the family home. The cause of death was cardiomyopathy, a rare and sudden condition caused by the thickening of the heart muscles. Shortly before his death, Daniel had signed as a trainee with Leeds United.

Kenny, who suffers from dyslexia and recently went public on his struggles with the learning disability, says in todays Evening News: "It's just something I thought I could do to maybe give something back, and the four charities I have chosen all mean something to me.

"Obviously, I have suffered with dyslexia, and my wife Gabby's brother Daniel died from cardiomyopathy. I have had friends and relatives treated at Yorkhill, which is a fantastic hospital, and the Thistle Trust caters for youth and schools rugby across Scotland."

Kenny has named Ally McCoist, the former Rangers player and a current Scottish football coach, as his testimonial patron and the pair are to link up to stage dinners and other events around the UK, but there will be no star-studded rugby match. Kenny explained that his purpose was not to follow the traditional method of celebrating a testimonial in football, which guarantees the player a hefty final pay cheque, but to use his send-off to earn significant sums for charity.

The decision to grant Kenny testimonial permission was taken by the SRU's old executive board, five members of which resigned in last month’s coup. However, Phil Anderton, the former chief executive who was instrumental in encouraging Logan to finish his playing career back in Scotland, said: "I don't think anyone would disagree that Kenny is a worthy choice as the first to be granted a testimonial.

"I was surprised that this hadn't been done before, but when it was put to us we felt this method of rewarding a player who has given a lot to the game was worth pursuing. Kenny has been a great ambassador for Scottish rugby in over 11 years of playing for Scotland, and even when playing in England used contacts all over the place to sell Scotland and our game to people there."

You can read more here

Comments
Posted by Phall on February 22, 2005 04:14 PM | Reply to this comment

I am very much in favour of supporting Kenny's chosen charity. But there are planty of players who have given a lot more to Scottish Rugby, who would deserve it more. Wasps should have been the porganisers of such a match.

Posted by Highlandbrave75 on February 22, 2005 05:34 PM | Reply to this comment

It's great that Kenny's chosen to donate the money to charity.

However, there are many past players who deserved a "testimonial year" and I don't think the SRU Executive should pick and choose who has one and who doesn't.

Good luck to Kenny anyway!

Posted by Alan on February 25, 2005 12:11 AM | Reply to this comment

Agreed HB75, let's make a start now and support his causes...
"Kenny has been a great ambassador for Scottish rugby in over 11 years of playing for Scotland" ..and wants to do something to help others ..I won't argue with that!

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