PART-TIME players showed all the passion of the professional – if not the physique.Portman Road welcomed a rather more rounded class of player in a special charity match.

PART-TIME players showed all the passion of the professional – if not the physique.

Portman Road welcomed a rather more rounded class of player in a special charity match.

But given the performance of their Ipswich Town heroes on Saturday, maybe they would not have done much worse.

Players sporting a few grey hairs and a little middle-age spread gave their all for a good cause.

Football Aid was the organisation behind the special event. The national charity raises money by giving fans the chance to follow in the footsteps of their heroes.

The charity's patron is Sir Bobby Robson – a man who knows more than most about the passion of playing at Portman Road.

He said: "For an Ipswich supporter to play on the hallowed turf of Portman Road is the realisation of the ultimate footballing dream."

Former Town legends John Wark and Simon Milton led out their part-time team-mates, all clad in their own personalised strips.

Last year's charity match raised £8,000 for new equipment to help disabled students at Belstead School.

This year, funds were raised to help tackle juvenile diabetes as well as other charities linked to the club.

Football Aid has already raised more than £500,000 this year working with 40 of the UK's top clubs.

And an even more glamorous event has just been added to the calendar. On July 12, fans will be able to play at the Nou Camp, home of one of Sir Bobby's other clubs – Barcelona.

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