Classy Celtic to donate €13,000 to help ex-Rangers player with Motor Neuron disease

Celtic have shown that there's more to life than football rivalries with this heartwarming gesture to a former Rangers player

Celtic FC Foundation, the Scottish football giants' charity, will donate  £10,000 (€13,342) in support of Fernando Ricksen, his family and Motor Neurone Disease Association Scotland. The Dutchman played at the Ibrox for six years from 2000-2006, scoring 20 goals and winning two SPL titles. He went on to have a two-year spell at Zenit St Pettersburg before finishing up his career at Dutch outfit Fortuna Sittard in 2013, when he was diagnosed with the degenerative disease. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell spoke about the donation earlier today.

We are pleased to be able to make a donation which will assist both Fernando’s family and MND Scotland. At Celtic, unfortunately we are all too familiar with MND and its devastating effects. Jimmy Johnstone, the man voted Celtic’s greatest ever player, fought bravely against this illness as did former player John Cushley, someone who gave so many years’ service to the club. We would like also to take this opportunity to send our thoughts and best wishes to Fernando and his family.

A fundraising tribute match for Ricksen will take place at Ibrox this Sunday where a plethora of Rangers legends will be togging out to support the worthy cause. Nacho Novo, Ronald de Boer and  Jorg Albertz and Arthur Numan are among those turning out for the former Rangers defender. Hat-tip to Sky Sports