Middlesbrough coach Grant Leadbitter hoping to save lives as he backs cause close to his heart on Sunderland return

GRANT LEADBITTER uniquely enjoys legendary presumption astatine some Sunderland and Middlesbrough - but helium volition beryllium wearing overmuch much important colours up of tomorrow's derby.

The 38-year-old came done the ranks astatine his boyhood Black Cats and played a immense relation nether Roy Keane successful their 2007 promotion campaign.

Having followed the Irishman to Ipswich, helium returned to the portion successful 2012 with Boro and captained them to the Premier League successful 2016.

Leadbitter headed backmost to his archetypal emotion Sunderland 2 years aboriginal and became the archetypal subordinate since Bobby Kerr successful 1973 to assistance a trophy for the nine astatine Wembley erstwhile they won the Football League Trophy.

The much-loved midfielder hung up his boots successful 2021 but is present backmost astatine Boro arsenic Michael Carrick’s first-team coach.

As helium prepares to caput to the Stadium of Light and to the spot wherever his late father’s ashes are buried nether the pitch, Leadbitter is present backing thing other precise adjacent to his heart.

He is simply a patron of the If U Care Share Inside Out run that encourages radical to speech by ‘getting what’s connected the wrong out’.

Fans volition spot players from some teams wearing the If U Care Share Inside Out t-shirts successful the warm-up earlier the lunchtime showdown successful designation of World Suicide Prevention Day.

The thought is the brainchild of the Chester-le-Street based intelligence wellness and termination prevention foundation If U Care Share.

The foundation was founded by Matthew Smith and his household successful 2005 aft his member Daniel O’Hare’s decease by termination and it has provided prevention proposal and enactment to families affected by suicide. 

If you are affected by immoderate of the issues raised successful this article, delight telephone the Samaritans for escaped on 116123.

Leadbitter said: “It’s a precise important origin to maine and a batch of radical from the North East. “Dan’s household started the foundation successful his representation and his younger brothers Matthew and Ben person dedicated themselves to raising awareness.

“In representation of Daniel, we are hoping to assistance different people, and that is truthful important. It’s astir making definite nary 1 other takes their ain beingness and trying to get the statistic down.

“Both ourselves and Sunderland beforehand the foundation each twelvemonth and it’s each astir creating awareness.

“On Saturday, determination volition beryllium astir 45,000 astatine the Stadium of Light with a batch much radical watching astatine home, and if we tin present a message, adjacent if it’s to conscionable 1 person, we could prevention different precious life.”

Last period Matthew completed a 700 mile to each Premier League crushed to rise captious funds for the charity, moving from Bournemouth, crossed the southbound coast, done the 7 London clubs, earlier a gruelling limb to Ipswich, followed by the Midlands, Liverpool, Manchester, earlier landing astatine St. James’ Park little than 3 weeks later.

The purpose is to rise £135,000 - with 135 being the fig of radical specified arsenic family, friends, enactment colleagues, wellness and exigency professionals - who are impacted erstwhile 1 idiosyncratic takes their ain life.

If U Care Share co-founder Matthew added: “We would similar to convey Sunderland and Middlesbrough shot clubs for their continued enactment for the Inside Out run and giving specified salient backing to a elemental connection which saves lives.”

Visit ifucareshare.co.uk for much info.

If you are affected by immoderate of the issues raised successful this article, delight telephone the Samaritans for escaped on 116123.