Dwight Yorke ‘honoured’ to join football bid to raise money for bushfire relief
Former Sydney FC star Dwight Yorke jumped at the opportunity to return to the Harbour City and play a part in the Football For Fires appeal match at ANZ Stadium.
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Dwight Yorke says he is honoured to be part of an international football effort to raise funds for communities blighted by the bushfires.
The man who lifted the first trophy of the A-League era will return to Sydney in May to play in the Football for Fires match being staged at ANZ Stadium, along with Czech midfield duo Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer — both former Liverpool teammates — who on Saturday also confirmed they were coming.
They will share a pitch with old European adversaries including Chelsea legend Didier Drogba and former Juventus icons Claudio Marchisio and David Trezeguet.
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Organisers will unveil more names in the coming weeks and hope to sell out ANZ Stadium, with the proceeds going to a special fund designed to help football clubs devastated by the bushfires across Australia.
For Yorke, it’s a chance for another trip to a city he fell in love with when he helped Sydney FC win the inaugural A-League title in 2006 — and became just as much a fixture in the city’s nightspots.
“I didn't think twice about getting involved in this game, and for me it's a real honour to be able to contribute to getting the country of Australia back on its feet again,” Yorke said.
“I had a fantastic time living and playing in Sydney, and this is the perfect opportunity to show that and do something really helpful at the same time.”
A phone call from the man organising Football for Fires, Lou Sticca — who also brokered Yorke’s move to Sydney and brought Alessandro Del Piero here — was all it took for Yorke to start planning his flight.
“Like people around the world, we watched the bushfires on TV and it's frightening to think that areas I knew were involved,” he said.
“I can't wait to come back and hear about the efforts that are going into helping the communities affected, as well as play one more game in your beautiful city.”
Though Sticca hasn’t commented on which other players will join the teams being coached by Guus Hiddink and Graham Arnold, Del Piero is among dozens to whom an invitation has been sent.
Among those to have already confirmed are Tor Andre Flo, Ji-Sung Park and Emile Heskey, while former Socceroos including Mark Bosnich, Simon Colosimo and Mark Milligan will fly the flag for Australia.
Hiddink and Arnold will be on opposing benches 14 years after working together at the 2006 World Cup.
“I have very fond memories of my time in and with Australia, and when I received a call to play a role in this benefit match it was something I really wanted to do,” Hiddink said.
“The fires in Australia have reached many parts of the globe through the media, and it has been sad to see the devastation across the nation.
“Arnie (Graham Arnold) and I speak quite regularly, and it will be great to reunite with him, and many of the people I used to work with, in Australia for a great cause.”
Tickets are available at ticketek.com.au with more than 40,000 seats available at affordable prices.
Originally published as Dwight Yorke ‘honoured’ to join football bid to raise money for bushfire relief