Community shows its support for footballer

A fundraiser for injured Penicuik Athletic player Liam O’Donnell has crashed through its target just days after launching.

Penicuik Athletic V Stenhousemuir Scottish Cup 2nd Round 26/10/19 O'Donnell for Penicuik

Back Onside, an organisation which supports people with mental health issues through education, support and inclusion, launched the fundraiser to help support the local player.

O’Donnell suffered a sickening double leg break in a recent game against Whitehill Welfare which forced the match the be abandoned.

The football community was swift to throw its backing behind O’Donnell, though, with messages of support pouring out over social media.

The fundraiser, which is available to view and support online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/liam-odonnell2, has already raised nearly £2000 - double the starting target of £1000.

Libby Emmerson, founder and CEO of Back Onside, said: “This Christmas is going to be tough enough for a lot of people but when you suffer a bad leg injury just over a month before then those anxieties and worries become a huge part of your life.

“This is what faces Penicuik Athletic player Liam O’Donnell and we want to help.

“Liam suffered a nasty double leg break which is bad enough but his recovery hasn’t gone as planned so he will not be back at work until the end of January at the earliest, to a job he had only just started.

“As you can imagine even without Christmas on the horizon this would be a stressful time for Liam coping with being unable to work or play football, which is why we want to help and show him how much we care and that we are all behind him by giving him support and give him one less thing to worry about during his recovery period.”