Len Johnrose's son plays Bury FC charity match in memory of dad who died following MND battle
Video report by ITV Granada Reports journalist Chris Hall.
The son of late footballer Len Johnrose says his dad "would not have shut up" about his former teammates taking part in a charity football match in his memory.
The 52-year-old, who played for Bury, Blackburn, Burnley and Preston, passed away in August, just five years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
His teammates gathered to raise awareness of the condition, and money for the Len Johnrose Trust - taking to the pitch at Bury's Gigg Lane alongside his son Patrick, on Sunday.
Patrick said: "He would've kept quiet about it but he would've liked talking about it when we got back home - he wouldn't have shut up about it."
He went on to say his dad would have been coaching him throughout the match.
Among the players was Len's former Bury teammate Nick Dawes. He said: "I think he would've been a little but uncomfortable because he never sought the limelight.
"He would've been proud, proud of his son Patrick who graced the pitch in his honour. The fact that his whole family are here continuing to celebrate his life. I think he'll be smiling."
Stan Ternent, Len's former manager, said: "There's a lot of lads here carrying all sorts of injuries and of certain ages and they're only here because of Len. I think that says everything, really."
All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the foundation, which supports people living with motor neurone disease.
After retiring Len became a primary school teacher before his MND diagnosis in 2017 after a hand injury failed to heal properly.
After experiencing slight weakness in his right hand, which he thought was the early onset of arthritis, he went for tests.
His results came back clear, but a few years later he broke his hand on a school trampoline, and despite x-rays showing the fracture had healed, his hand was further weakened.
It took 18 months after seeing his GP to be referred to a neurologist who diagnosed him with motor neurone disease.
Len spent the remainder of his years raising awareness of MND, most famously creating the Ice Foot Challenge.
It was part Len's Project 92 campaign, where he planned to visit every club across the country to talk about his condition.
What are the early warning signs of MND?
Around 5,000 adults in the UK have the condition, which affects the brain and nerves.
Just over 1,000 people are diagnosed every year and for the majority of those, life expectancy is between two and three years.
The NHS says that symptoms of MND can happen gradually and may not be obvious at first.
Weakness in your ankle or leg – you might trip, or find it harder to climb stairs
Slurred speech, which may develop into difficulty swallowing some foods
A weak grip – you might drop things, or find it hard to open jars or do up buttons
Muscle cramps and twitches
Weight loss – your arms or leg muscles may have become thinner over time
Difficulty stopping yourself from crying or laughing in inappropriate situations
Whilst all of these symptoms may not be caused by MND it is advised that people should see a GP as soon as possible to get the correct diagnosis so that care can be arranged as soon as possible.
You can find more help and advise on the NHS website.
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