Fans don heroes’ shirts

May 8 2009 by Kieran Westbrook, Dumfries Standard Friday

BOYHOOD Dreams will come true for 32 Queens fans as they take to the field at Palmerston tonight.

It is the first ‘Play for your Club’ night - giving Queens fans the chance to don the famous jersey all in the name of raising funds for the club.

Doonhamers manically bid for a place on the team sheet by e-mail and telephone, with fans raising nearly £4,000 for their beloved club.

Bidding closed on April 24, with the Queens number 9 jersey of both teams fetching £200 each.

But it was the left wing blue jersey that raised the most cash for the club - bringing in £225.

The minimum bid for each starting position was £50 and £30 for a substitute, but with competition fierce, every position went for much more than that.

Queens’ commercial manager, Mark McMinn, said: “The whole thing has gone very well. It’s all been unbelievable really.

“The phone was ringing off the hook and inboxes were full of bids in the closing hours.

“Considering this is our first year, it has gone very well.”

The bidding has brought in £3,960 for the club, but that figure is expected to rise with other fundraising opportunities being held on the night.

Also at half-time, the Palmerston Colts shall be presented to the crowd, in recognition of their first full season competing in the Dumfries Sunday Amateur league, a season which has saw them crowned First Division champions.

The match kicks off at 7pm tonight.