North East’s big three fight for golf glory

A leading anti-racism charity is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a Ryder Cup-style golf competition in the North East featuring some of the region’s leading football legends.

Show Racism the Red Card is hosting its 30th anniversary golf at the Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club near Durham in May and will welcome some of the ex-players and managers who helped launch the campaign, which is still going strong today.

Former Sunderland manager Peter Reid will captain the Black Cats team, while ex-Newcastle boss Chris Hughton will take charge of the Geordie representatives and Viv Anderson, one of England’s first black players, who was Bryan Robson’s number two at Middlesbrough, will lead the Teesside troops. 

The three legends will also take part in a Q&A session at the end of the evening and after dinner. 

Organisers of the event, which will be held at the Ramside’s Championship golf course on Wednesday, May 20, have selected a number of ex-players from each of the North East’s big three clubs who will join paying teams on the day.

Representing Sunderland will be former striker Kevin Phillips and Gary Bennett MBE, his BBC Radio Newcastle colleague John Anderson will star for Newcastle along with Steve Howey, John Beresford and Shola Ameobi, while Dean Gordon, Gary Pallister and Brian Deane are lined up for Boro.

Businesses, organisations or golf clubs who sign up for the Show Racism the Red Card Legends Golf Day will be allocated a star from the list, which is expected to expand over the coming weeks.

Show Racism the Red Card was set up by Ged Grebby in 1996 after he was approached by former Newcastle keeper Shaka Hislop, who was just establishing himself in Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers squad when he was racially abused by a group of youths at a petrol station opposite St James’s Park after a midweek game.

Hislop, who launched the campaign with Ged and team-mate John Beresford at a Newcastle school, has since become a leading advocate for anti-racism in football and continues to speak and meet youngsters at SRtRC events across the country.

Recently, thanks to funding from the PFA, FA and EFL, the charity launched a number of ‘First 11’ exhibitions to celebrate the first black players to represent clubs.

Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Brentford, Derby County, Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal, Liverpool and the England Lionesses and men’s team have all taken part in the exhibitions and Newcastle United will host the project at St James’ later this month.

Show Racism the Red Card chief executive Ged Grebby said: "We are delighted that so many players and managers associated with the North-East's big three clubs have agreed to participate in our 30th anniversary golf day and dinner. 

“Not only will it be a great day out for golfers and non-golfers alike, but we hope that the format will encourage a bit of friendly competition. And we hope to raise plenty of money to help in our work of educating the next generation about racism and how to counter it."

Format of competition

• Three teams representing the region's football teams, managed by Viv Anderson (Middlesbrough), Chris Hughton (Newcastle) and Peter Reid (Sunderland), will be competing to become the region's top dogs.
• Each team will be made of six groups of golfers – four in each group, made up of one current or ex-professional player from that club and three other golfers from businesses or organisations.
• The day will be topped off by a dinner hosted by Johnny Phillips of Sky TV, with a Q&A session involving Viv, Chris and Peter.
• Extra places are available for guests who don't want to play golf to attend the dinner.
• The dinner will also see an auction hosted by John Anderson, Newcastle legend and BBC commentator.

Contacts for the golf day: ged@theredcard.org, martincox@theredcard.org or chris.duffy@theredcard.org.

Costs: Three golfers, to play alongside a footballer in a four-ball, including competition entry, pre-golf refreshments and a three-course dinner: £1000 for three players

Dinner tickets only: £75 per person or £600 for a table of ten.

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