THE considerable generosity of the Celtic Family was once again on show at Barrowfield on Saturday, June 6 as a supporter-led charity match took place to raise funds for Celtic FC Foundation.

The match was held as a tribute to Gerry McDade, a lifelong Celtic supporter and Pools agent. In his memory, supporters from Scotland, Ireland and Germany played a friendly match and raised the fantastic sum of £3,300.

As well as being a representative of Celtic Pools, Gerry was heavily involved in charitable giving and believed wholeheartedly in the founding principles of Celtic.

A donation of £2,000 has been made to Celtic FC Foundation with the remaining proceeds being split between the Society of St Vincent De Paul, a homelessness charity based in the Bavaria region of Germany and Gerry’s parish church of Sacred Heart in Bellshill.

The match saw a team of Scottish Celts line up against a Select XI comprised of their Irish and German counterparts, and it was the European contingent who emerged victorious on the day with a 3-1 win.

Following the match, a sold-out celebratory evening event was held in the adjoining Celtic Supporters’ Association Social Club with over 130 attendees.

The event was organised by Gerry’s son, Frank McDade. Speaking about the event, Frank said: “The game came about as a memorial to my Dad who had been a Celtic Pools agent for as long as I remember.

“Over the years, my Dad forged links with Celtic fans in Germany and Ireland and they were all eager to come over and support this tribute match. In particular, the German lads have been coming over for games since the early 1990s and their love of Celtic is long established.  

“My Dad fundamentally believed in helping others and was passionate about the charitable ethos of Celtic Football Club. He was active in helping out homeless charities and the Society of St Vincent De Paul.

“As well as these charities, selecting Celtic FC Foundation to benefit from this match just seemed like a natural fit. I’m delighted that everyone has been so generous and we’ve been able to raise such a tremendous sum of money for very worthy causes.”

Celtic FC Foundation CEO, Tony Hamilton, added: “I am very grateful to Frank and the entire McDade family and all who played a part in such a successful event. It is very generous of the family to continue Gerry’s passion for this club and to show it in this way. This money will help with our work with local children.”

Celtic FC Foundation’s priority is to focus on the four key themes of improving health, promoting equality, encouraging learning and tackling poverty and we have a strong track record of delivering successful community-based projects.

If you are interested in organising your own fundraising event for Celtic FC Foundation, please contact 0141 551 4291 or email [email protected]