Yesterday, we hosted a match in honour of former Sporting player Tom Rankin, who tragically passed away far too soon two years ago.
The game, which raised over £1,000 for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), saw a ‘Tom Rankin’ XI face a Loughborough Uni XI, with the Loughborough side running out 8-3 winners.Â
The Tom Rankin XI featured Sporting vice captain Aaron Roberts, plus a whole host of former Rouslers, including Josh Quaynor, Jono Brown, Reece Francis, Jack Wilson, Jak Hickman, and Tom Massey.
Also lining up for the Tom Rankin XI were Tom’s dad Bob and Redditch United Chairman David Faulkner.
Tom wore the captain’s armband at Redditch and, prior to being at the Valley and at Sporting, he played for Loughborough University.
Aaron Roberts, who was a former teammate of Tom’s at Bromsgrove, reflected on the day: “A massive thank you to those who turned out, on and off the pitch, for Tom’s memorial game.
“It was nice to finally host the game at Tom’s home ground, where he came through our youth system and started making his way in the game.
“Although he was with us for too short a period, I think his family and friends find a lot of comfort in knowing the legacy he has created and how he is remembered, daily, within life and football.
“That said, the message of the event will always remain the same – please speak up and out to those who love and need you.
“Too many people are lost without an explanation and we can all do more to help raise awareness!
“A special mention to Bob Rankin – I know the annual event means so much to him and I thought he had a great game yesterday on the field also!”
Thank you to all who attended. Tom, you will never be forgotten.
