Memory of Rhys Jones.

THIS weekend’s big match will be the Liverpool Unites derby.

Despite the rivalry on and off the pitch the game will see Liverpool fans and Evertonians come together in support of the ECHO charity.

Liverpool Unites will be the official match day sponsor to celebrate nearing our £100,000 target towards building a new community centre in Croxteth in memory of Rhys Jones.

The game at Goodison Park on Saturday falls on what would have been the youngster’s 13th birthday.

He was a dedicated fan of Everton Football Club and a season ticket holder.

ECHO editor Alastair Machray said: “The derby is the most important event in Liverpool’s football calendar.

“What better opportunity to bring both sides of the city together to support a great cause.”

Purple is the colour of Liverpool Unites and – Red and Blue apart – will be seen all around the stadium.

Everton have already agreed to have the team warming up in Liverpool Unites shirts.

Stewards, ticket office staff, and others staff at Goodison will wear purple ribbons and, where possible, wristbands.

Merseyside police officers will also wear ribbons and wristbands which will be given to them before the match begins.


I will throw a few bob in, at the derby, VERY sad lose, even if he was a blue.

nice touch by all involved. personal feelings towards a club don't come into it when things like this happen.

RIP Rhys.

David Guest raising money for Rhys memorial on celebrity are you smarter than a 10 year old

hes up to 50K coming back on tomorrow to continue fair play (but he is still a dick)

Just want to say, my thoughts have been with Rhys' mum and dad and his family this weekend.

You's Will Never Walk Alone.

THE memory of Rhys Jones was honoured on what would have been his thirteenth birthday at the Liverpool Unites Merseyside derby.

Applause echoed around the ground before the kick-off on Saturday as Rhys's parents, Melanie and Steven, were presented with a cheque for the £100,000 raised by the ECHO's anti-gun crime campaign.

Liverpool Unites also sponsored the game and provided the branded shirts both sides warmed up in, while "The Chosen One" and Rafael Benitez as well as ground staff wore purple ribbons.

Everton fanatic Rhys was shot dead as he walked home from football practice last August outside the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth.

The killing provoked a wave of revulsion at the growing swathe of firearms-related deaths plaguing the city.

Rhys's parents and brother were present as Goodison Park stood to remember Everton-fan Rhys when they played Blackburn Rovers just days after his senseless murder while Everton anthem Z-Cars was played at Anfield before a European tie with Toulouse as Merseysiders stood together to show their support.

The killing galvanised the city sparking the Liverpool Unites campaign, and Saturday's match at Goodison Park marked the charity's first anniversary.

Unprecedented levels of support from the people of Merseyside over the past 12 months have seen thousands of pounds raised with one of the campaign’s goals being the construction of a community centre in Croxteth.

The cheque for £100,000 was handed over by a symbolic purple ribbon character.

The charity is also fundraising to give grants to other local children's charities and community groups to help support and sustain the valuable work that they do for young people. Since it was launched, hundreds of thousands of ribbons and wristbands have been sported by people wanting to make their voices heard and call for change.

The fundraising initiatives have ranged from local community tea mornings and fairs to the Concert for Rhys at the ECHO arena and the more recent Run for Rhys around Croxteth Park.

Now the money will go to help build a permanent memorial in Croxteth Park.

The proposed centre could cost in excess of £2m to build and the contribution this weekend sees the fund stand at more than £500,000.

Do we have a link to contribute to the fund?

At Last The police have done something right in Bringing the perpertrators of this terrible crime to boot !
The loss of any life is a waste but even more so with someone as young as Rhys, he had his whole life ahead of him he will be sorely miissed, especially by his family and friends.
R.I.P  Rhys
Justice at last !

He was murdered 4 years ago today, my thoughts are with his family.

RIP Rhys

   RIP little man.

R.I.P. Rhys, YNWA.