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From football pitch to golf putt

13/ 8/2002

GOLF: Bobby Charlton versus John Askey may sound like part of the line-up for a fantasy football match - but they ditched the pitch in favour of the golf course.

The Manchester United and England hero took on Macclesfield Town's own legend on the golf course to raise money for charity.

Football stars past and present gathered at Mottram Hall for a golf day, held to raise money for the East Cheshire Hospice.

The 'Football Stars Golf Day' was the brainchild of Prestbury fundraiser Anna Rains.

Anna, wife of Stockport County director Mike Rains, used her extensive list of football contacts to pull in dozens of stars.

And the day was so successful, that organisers are hoping to make it an annual event.

Charlton played for one of the three Manchester United teams that entered the competition.

And Macclesfield Town flew the local flag, with assistant boss Askey joined in a four-strong team by strikers Kyle Lightbourne and Lee Glover, as well as manager David Moss.

But it was Moss' mate Brian Horton - the pair spent two years together in charge of Manchester City in the mid-1990s - who carried off the team prize.

Horton's Port Vale team, which also included former players Mark Grew, Martin Foyle and John Durnin, took the DeVere Hotels Trophy with a score of 89 - 17 under par.

Former Manchester United star Clayton Blackmore - now playing for Bangor City and also a scratch golfer - laid claim to the shot of the day with a 350-metre drive from the 18th tee.

That was enough to win the competition for the longest shot.

The footballers took to the course in the afternoon following a morning given over to corporate teams.

David Barnes and friends won over the first nine holes, while Arighi Bianchi beat off competition from Tarmac and Ciba Specialty Chemicals to triumph over the back nine.