Where’s the Road to Old Trafford Gone?

Where’s the Road to Old Trafford Gone?

Maybe it was the mayhem of this year’s summer transfer window, or possibly the authoritarian figure of Louie Van Gaal that has seen us go without a Road to Old Trafford charity poker event this year. Either way, it has been sorely missed regardless of Rio Ferdinand’s departure from Old Trafford.

In August 2013, we witnessed a host of poker professionals and ex-United players play in a 169-man tournament to raise money for a series of notable causes. Some of the ex-pros included Trinidadian Dwight Yorke, midfield maestro Brian Robson, Norman Whiteside and South African fullback Quinton Fortune.

At the end of play, poker professional and ex-Sheffield United trainee Sam Trickett ended up winning the charity tournament and donating his prize winnings to Rio Ferdinand’s very own charity ‘Live the Dream Foundation Charity’.

Trickett has been a relevant name in the world of poker for the last 5 years, where he is now one of the highest-ever earners currently on the circuit. Bluff Magazine reports that the former gas fitter has won over $19 million in the sport thus far.

After winning the tournament, Trickett told Poker News, “I am happy to make a contribution to Rio’s charity. It is a very worthy cause,” remarked the poker professional. “This has been a great, fun weekend and so much different and more relaxed than any other tournament I have played. I am totally made up for winning at Old Trafford, it has been an amazing experience.”

However, after such a great charity event that raised money for a wonderful cause, we didn’t get to see a repeat of the tournament, regardless of it garnering so much media coverage. But irrespective of Ferdinand’s move to Premiership rivals QPR in the summer, it’s a shame that this tournament couldn’t have still taken place to raise money for something that is above football, entirely.

Casino gaming has often been used to raise money for charity, as its standing in the world is that of a popular pursuit that has been moving forward ever since it broke online through the innovative website InterCasino in the latter part of the 90s. The aforementioned site even went on to have success in other parts of Europe such as Germany and France showing how popular casino gaming has become across the globe.

So, although Ferdinand is no longer an integral part of the United setup it would be nice for him to return to Old Trafford and enlist the likes of Robson and Yorke again to raise money for his Live the Dream Foundation Charity. Hopefully, it will return in the summer of 2015 along with some of United’s other legends to raise the profile of some more charities in need of funding.