Former Dundee and Dundee United star Lee Wilkie may have been forced to hang up his boots last season due to a severe knee injury, but the defender is preparing to take to the pitch one last time in a bid to send a set of Angus twins to the USA for a life changing operation.
Wilkie met legendary players from both sides of the city’s divide including Bobby Geddes, John Reilly and Dave Bowman ahead of a charity football match in Carnoustie on May 8 in aid of two-year-old Ayley and Chloe Hirsch.
The girls suffer from cerebral palsy and their grandfather, former Dundee striker Ian Fleming, has been working tirelessly to help his daughter Averil and her partner Frazer raise the £80,000 necessary for the toddlers to undergo surgery that would enable them to walk for the first time.
Although he may be unable to play a full 90 minutes with the Dundee and Dundee United greats when they take on Carnoustie Panmure FC’s Scottish Junior Cup winning side at Laing Park, Wilkie is looking forward to the match.
He said, “In a way, it will be my comeback game I might even get picked up if there are some scouts watching.
“In all seriousness, though, it’s great to keep up my involvement with football and I’m hoping I can stay on the park for as long as possible.”
He added, “I’m very happy to be able to support the campaign and I hope the family raise enough money to send the girls to America as it would change their lives.”
Ayley and Chloe sporting the colours of Dundee and Dundee United respectively were also joined on Tannadice Street by United chairman Stephen Thompson and Dens Park stars Kyle Benedictus and Craig Forsyth.
Benedictus admitted he felt “privileged” to be in the company of so many revered players and added that he hoped the family was successful in raising enough money to travel to St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri for the complex procedure, which is unavailable on the NHS.
Known as selective dorsal rhizotomy, it serves to eliminate the pain and spasticity in the limbs of those who suffer from the condition.
Benedictus said, “It must be really hard what the family is going through but hopefully they can raise enough money for the operation.”
Averil and Frazer have been “overwhelmed” by the support for the twins since they launched their fund-raising drive two months ago after they learned about the benefits of the operation while following the story of Perthshire youngster Jack McNaughton in The Courier.
The couple have already raised around a quarter of their target.
Entry to the football match, which is part of a fun day, is £5 and the event will kick off at noon.