Manchester United stars lead Pattaya, Bangkok charity tour

Two former Manchester United footballers lined up in Pattaya to promote upcoming charity dinners and golf tournaments.

Denis Irwin and Clayton Blackmore are helping Legacy of Legends, a company founded by local businessman Kevin Fisher and Peter Banner that brings famous athletes to Thailand, Singapore and Myanmar to headline charity fundraisers.

Fisher said Legacy of Legends is Thailand’s first sports and entertainment charity-event promoter. The long-term resident of Thailand said, “We recognized opportunities for profitable businesses to lend our capable hands to help many non-profit charity organizations give a better life to the needy and the under-privileges.”

The Legacy of Legends team along with Clayton Blackmore and Denis Irwin and the ladies from Women with a Mission take a tour around the Mechai Foundation.

The Man-U legends will headline events to aid Women With a Mission, Operation Smile and the Camillian Home for the Disabled in June. The first event will benefit the Mechai Viravaidya Foundation, which is dedicated to AIDS prevention and family planning.

Irwin, known as “Mr. Dependable” during his years with Man-U, helped lead the team to seven Premier League trophies, three FA Cup titles, and a Champions League win. He played full back from 1983-2004.

Blackmore was a Welsh international footballer known for a combative nature and attacking free kicks. A utility player who excelled in defense, Blackmore also subbed as midfielder or emergency forward. He now manages the Manchester United Under 15s at the team’s academy.

The pair will be joined at the gala dinners and golf days by former footballer and Haddersfield Town Coach Andrew Cole and Lee Sharpe, a footballer turned sports pundit and reality-television personality.

The first Legacy of Legends tour will kick off June 6 Plaza Athanee in Bangkok, proceeding the next day to the Riverdale Golf Club in Bangkok for dinner and golf. The team will then attend a dinner in Pattaya at the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort June 8, followed by a day of golf at the Phoenix golf course.

(L to R) The Man U Legends meet the Women With a Mission Kylie Grimmer, Denis Irwin, Rosanne Diamente, Clayton Blackmore and Bronwyn Carey.

Highlights of the dinners will be “power talks” from the athletes and a motivational speech from Mechai, music and a performance from singer Ives Baron Le Tenor. The 10-piece Neung Jakkawal Band and charity auction will close the events.

Tickets for the gala dinners are 25,000 baht for a table of 10 and seats can be purchased individually, as well.

The Golf Days & Dinner are 20,000 baht per team of four and feature shotgun-start golf in the afternoon. Hole-in-one prizes worth a total 5 million baht will be up for grabs on par-three holes.

Tickets and more information will be available at www.legacyoflegends.org or call or SMS 0800 444 050.