Huddersfield Town legends have been signed up for a charity match in memory of Meltham soldier Tom Wroe and a colleague killed on duty in Afghanistan in 2012.

Match for Heroes 3 will see Town legends including Marcus Stewart, Darren Bullock, Efe Sodje, Dean Gorre, Chris Billy, Martin Smith and Clyde Wijnhard take on Golcar United legends at Golcar’s Skye Direct Stadium.

The match will be played on Sunday May 1 and will raise money for the Help 4 Homeless Veterans charity and the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Trust. The game has become an annual event which has so far raised £19,000.

The match is played in memory of 18-year-old Tom Wroe and dad-of-two Sgt Gareth Thursby, 29, of Skipton. The two 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment soldiers died when a rogue Afghan policeman opened fire at a checkpoint in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province in 2012.

Staged last year at Farsley Celtic’s ground, this year Golcar United have the honour of hosting the game.

The organising committee includes: Tom’s dad Mick, also a former soldier, and Gareth’s mum Caroline Whitaker; former Armed Forces personnel retired Maj Rodger Helmn, Jamie Sykes, Gavin Atherton and Nick Coleman, along with Golcar United boss Ash Connor, match sponsor Andy Pounder and volunteers Mike Webb and Jonathan Horsman.

Former Town stars confirmed so far include: Stewart, Bullock, Gorre, Wijnhard, Billy, Matt Glennon, Rob Edwards, Martin Smith, Tom Cowan, Delroy Facey, Andy Holdsworth, Craig Armstrong, Ken Monkou, Ian Lawson and Joe Skarz, who currently plays for Golcar.

They will be led from the dug-out by ex-Town player and promotion-winning boss Peter Jackson and striking legend and current club ambassador Andy Booth.

Sgt Gareth Thursby (left) and Private Tom Wroe

On the day there will be two other matches the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment v West Yorkshire Police and an Army Veterans team against Supporting Charities FC.

There will be plenty of other entertainment on offer too with stalls, fairground rides, archery, clay pigeon shooting and an assault course. The bar will be open and food will be available.

To promote the game up to 40 fundraisers will take part in a sponsored walk on Saturday January 22 ahead of Golcar United’s home game against Daisy Hill.

The group will walk the 19.3 miles from Farsley Celtic to Golcar, setting off at 6.30am with the aim of getting to the Skye Direct Stadium before the 3pm kick-off.

The route will go through Drighlington, Cleckheaton, Hartshead, Bradley, Huddersfield, Aspley and Longroyd Bridge.

Danny McDonagh, of Bond Brickwork Ltd, has agreed to sponsor the walk and one of the kits for the match.

Match for Heroes 2 – images by: GLENN’S PHOTOGRAPHY

Ben Senior, secretary at Golcar United, said the club was delighted to get involved and believes the day can be the biggest and best so far.

“The whole committee has done a terrific job in helping to raise money for such great causes and do it in the memory of the two lads who sadly died,” said Ben.

“We at Golcar United are proud and delighted to be connected to this great event and we are looking forward to it.

“To be hosting some of the most recognisable Town players on our pitch shows how far we have come as a football club in such a short space of time.

“For me Marcus Stewart is one of the best players Town have had, especially in my lifetime, so to meet him will be brilliant.

“We want to help the committee raise as much as possible so there will be lots of things happening on the day from a raffle to fun activities for the kids. It should be a whole family occasion.”

Huddersfield Hub asked defender Craig Armstrong, who played for Town between 1999 and 2002, how he plans to prepare for the game.

Armstrong, 46, Academy National Recruitment Manager at Crystal Palace, joked: “I’ll probably prepare with a McDonalds breakfast haha.”

Seriously, he added: “I’m looking forward to the match. I still run around a bit on Sundays but it’s always good to play games with former teammates for a good cause.”

If you would like to be involved in the event check out the Match For Heroes 3 Facebook page HERE.

Tickets at £5 each are available now and can be booked HERE.