The family of the late Manchester City winger Ian ‘Spider’ Mellor are donating proceeds from his autobiography Spider to get a bedroom named in his honour at the charity’s new hospice in Heald Green, Stockport.
Ian, from Sale, died at St Ann’s in May, aged 74, five years after he was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare disease which also affected his late City teammate Colin Bell.
Known as Spider due to his lanky frame, Ian began his career at City, his boyhood idols, and played for Norwich, Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday.
Opponents included George Best, Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Kevin Keegan. He was Brian Clough’s record signing at Brighton for £40,000 in 1974.
The above video appeared on BBC North West Tonight on Tuesday, October 22.
Book proceeds will go towards the hospice’s Build It Together appeal which has raised more than £1.35m.
The target is £2m, representing the final push in an ambitious £25.5m project to create 27 inpatient bedrooms in a modern development next to its current location. Work should be completed in 12 months.
Ian’s wife Sue said: “It was Ian’s wish that we raise funds for St Ann’s Hospice as a thank you for the wonderful care he received. Ian was proud of his football career and all proceeds from his book will go to charity.”
Anne-Marie Wynne, Head of Fundraising and Capital Campaign at St Ann’s, said: “The new site is being constructed at a rapid pace, but we still need to raise the funds to equip it.
“The support of the Mellor family is typical of the community spirit needed to fund a modern facility fit to serve the needs of future generations.”
To donate and buy Ian Mellor’s book visit www.justgiving.com/page/spiderbook
