Former Wolves star John Pender’s battle with MND
Former Wolves captain John Pender is battling motor neurone disease – and a fundraising drive has been set up to help him.
Pender, a fierce tackler who skippered the Molineux men at the age of just 19, went on to make 129 appearances for Wolves in a career which saw him pass 600 league games for clubs including Burnley, Charlton and Bristol City.
A fundraising drive has been set up to help the former defender and the Wolves Former Players’ Association has donated £1,000 to the cause.
His children Lauren, Nikki, Danny and Jade said in a statement: “Our dad’s diagnosis, has been devastating for the whole family.
“Dad was always the first one up walking the dogs in the morning and the life and soul of our family gatherings.
“MND is such a debilitating disease that even a simple task such as considering a restaurant needs more planning and thought.
“But Dad’s spirits remain high and our mum Denise is a super hero who devotes her whole life to making sure Dad gets everything he needs.
“As a family it has brought us closer and causes us to truly enjoy our time together - making the best memories.
“Receiving the support from all the football fans, ex colleagues, friends and family has been amazing - reading them make us smile, laugh and cry!
“We fondly recall attending Dad’s matches to watch him play and hearing the fans chanting, which are, and will remain, very special memories for us.
“We thank each and every person for their generous and kind donations.”
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