Blossoms join star studded line up for Manchester Arena charity football match
Blossoms bandmates Tom Ogden and Joe Donovan are the latest signings for a special charity football match to mark the fifth anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing.
They will join Jason Manford, Paddy McGuiness, Adam Thomas, Clayton Blackmore, Trevor Sinclair, and Wes Brown to name a few as celebs take on footballing stars.
Called Manchester Remembers the game will take place on Thursday, 3 April with money raised supporting charities set up by families who lost loved ones in the attack.
Keen Manchester City fans the pair from the Stockport band said it was club legend Paul Dickov who asked them to take part and they jumped at the chance to get behind a great cause and play with some of his childhood footballing heroes.
Joe said: "I'm going to be shocking so it should be a laugh."
"Being alright when you're 14 is not the same is it as playing against some legends," joked Tom. He added that the tragedy it really hit home for them: "It was such a shocking thing."
"Devastating," said Joe.
The band played the reopening concert in 2017.
The Arena bombing killed 22 people who had gone to see Ariana Grande, hundreds more people were injured.
The event has been organised by former police officer turned firefighter, Aaron Lee who was one of the first on the scene following the attack.
He since undertaken numerous fundraising events to support families raising over £40,000.
He said the support has been amazing:"You can't believe that it's come round and it's five years already."
"It means a lot to people that we're going to do this and show people that we still care."
The footballing legends team will be managed by Sam Allardyce, and the celebrities overseen by Joe Royle and Peter Reid with everyone involved keen to make it a fun, uplifting day.
Former Manchester United star Wes Brown is also taking part. "The characters are unbelievable," he said. "It should be great day."
One of his children was at the arena at the time of the attack. He said support for the families must continue.
"We have to keep on doing as much as we can for them," he said.
Manchester Remembers will be taking place at the Manchester City Academy Stadium., with tickets and more information available here.