MACCAâS LEGACY LIVES ON PUBLISHED 00:00 23rd June 2013 by @OfficialQPR Trust goes from strength-to-strength on Alanâs one year anniversary ⦠The Trust is accelerating at an amazing rate and is a lasting legacy to Alan, who was a big believer in sport for all" Tonia McDonald The 48 year-old - who made nearly 500 appearances for the Super Hoops spanning over a 17-year period - died suddenly last year while playing golf in his native Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland skipper, who made 52 international appearances for his country, won more international caps while with QPR than any other player in the history of the club. Our thoughts today are with his wife Tonia and family, as well as his friends and former team-mates. Macca may be gone, but his legacy lives on ⦠The Alan McDonald Trust The Alan McDonald Trust, set up by Alan's wife Tonia and several of Maccaâs former close friends, aims to reach out to the disadvantaged and disabled children of all cultures in Belfast and the local areas. The Trust challenges the issues they face by providing facilities and projects that will have a positive and dynamic effect on their lives through participation in sport. It aims to embrace Maccaâs hard-working ethic and provide a sporting legacy for the youngsters of Northern Ireland. The Trust - which has recently received 'Charitable Status' by HMRC - was officially launched back in September with a Northern Ireland versus QPR fixture in Belfast. In a match befitting of the late, great Macca, former Râs front-duo Paul Furlong and Kevin Gallen rolled back the years to inspire the Râs to a 3-2 win over their Northern Ireland counterparts. Since then, six soccer schools have also taken place â as the Trust goes from strength to strength. âIâm absolutely delighted with what the Trust has achieved since its launch,â Tonia told www.qpr.co.uk. âItâs accelerating at an amazing rate and is a lasting legacy to Alan, who was a big believer in sport for all. âAlan was so passionate that everyone got a chance to play sport at any level and he would be so proud at what weâve achieved in such a short space of time. âThe Trust committee have been amazing. Stephen Watson, Joel Taggart, Terry Springett, Colin Finlay and Allison Brownlee deserve so much praise, as do all those who have contributed so far.â Tributes flooded into the club from all areas of the globe following Big Macâs passing, with players past and present as well as supporters of the beautiful game wanting to pay their respects to the man affectionately known as âMacca.â Fernandes was particularly taken aback by the many testimonials he read about McDonald on his twitter account and as a result opted to name the Airbus A320 after the iconic R's legend. The airbus is painted in the R's famous blue and white colours with a prominent tail that features QPRâs iconic hoops. The interior of the aircraft carries fun facts on both QPR and McDonald himself. Today, The Alan McDonald Trust continues to grow, with a first ever Downâs Syndrome Active programme taking place in Northern Ireland on the first anniversary of Maccaâs passing. Dozens of children are expected to attend the event in Belfast, which will be delivered by the Irish Football Association (IFA). âWeâve hosted six soccer schools so far, culminating in Sundayâs Downâs Syndrome Festival which falls on the first anniversary of Alanâs passing,â Tonia told www.qpr.co.uk. âDS Active have been so supportive, as have the IFA. Itâs been a fantastic team effort, which Alan would be proud of.â In addition, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) recently renamed their soccer schools in memory of the popular defender. Tonia added: âItâs a fantastic gesture. âAlan was the main driving force in setting up the soccer schools in 1988 and now his legacy will live on forever. âHe would have been so chuffed with that.â Toniaâs final word was saved for QPR, however â the club which Alan held so fondly in his heart. She added: âThe support Iâve received from everyone at QPR has been amazing. âThey have been so supportive to myself, Joshua and the Trust on every level and we will all be eternally grateful.â Alan McDonald â R.I.P Read more at http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/230613-maccas-legacy-875876.aspx?#dQcOsVFwPbz4Ep7w.99
It's hard to believe that a year has passed already. RIP Great man. It's a shame that the squad of 2012/13 couldn't/wouldn't adopt your fighting spirit and dedication to the club and have the ability to understand the basic requirements of an avid Rangers fan. If they had understood that, we would've truly survived. QPR Legend.
Cheers Nines. What a man, a true Ranger. What have we done to have fallen so far away from his standards?
Yes, Macca was a great man. Brought me in to meet all the players a few years back after I met him on a flight to Dublin after a match. Great player, great leader, great man and a gent.
Its hard to believe that a year has passed, and what a **** year is has been. How we could have done with his passion and pride last season. Here are links to a couple of the many tributes we all paid at the time. http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/153058-Tribute-to-Macca http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/153137-Macca-Media-Tribute-Thread RIP Macca
Now ain't that true! The standard of the 'man' in football has almost completely disappeared now. RIP Macca!
The year has flown by but it's so good to see the Trust is having such a positive effect on the lives of the disadvantaged in Northen Ireland. One thing is sure, he'll never be forgotten by the R's faithful...
