Fernando Ricksen fighting Motor Neurone Disease

[JTP 0]

But Fernando has only just become a dad to a baby girl. He is not going to have that joy. And that’s the saddest part of all.

 

This is already terrible news but that part above for me, as a parent, makes it even more gut wrenching.

 

I can't and won't watch that video.

[Tannochsidebear 2,516]

Ferguson's tribute is top class.

 

I absolutely hated Ricksen as a player. He was a terrbile defender, a poor tackler, couldnt head or pass accurately, and would often get himself needlessly booked or worse, and for the money he was on throughout his time here I just couldnt go him at all.

 

But from the human being side of it to have this truly awful disease at such a young age is mind-numbingly horrific, and my heart goes out to him and his family.

 

Would I go to a benefit match for Ricksen? No chance, he earned over a million a year at Ibrox for 5 years and had some decent form for about 6 months of that when Ferguson baby-sat him in midfield, but I would make a donation to a Scottish MND charity of the price of a ticket as a mark of respect to the man who tried his best for our club for a few years, and out of sympathy to his plight against a horrible disease.

[johnnyk 158]

My wife met another mother after my son was born and started going to mother and toddlers groups. My boy Sam made friends with a few kids, but one he was close to more than others so they all used to meet up now and again at play areas etc. The boys dad who I met a few times was diagnosed with this disease when his son was 3. He only lased a couple years before he sadly passed away, and I think the last year he was confined to a wheelchair and needed all round care. It's a horrible disease for anyone to have but it must be heart breaking accepting that you can't be a normal parent to your child, do normal things with them and you probably won't see them grow up.

 

The survival rate is not great but some can live up to 10 years or longer. I would love to see a special game for him as I was big fan when he played for us.

 

I wish him and his family all the best.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

At least with most conditions you can have a hope of beating it or at least control it with medication. But this is just a horrific death sentence in the most debilitating manner.

 

You'd be better off getting cancer or HIV than this ffs. Utterly tragic.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Ferguson's tribute is top class.

 

I absolutely hated Ricksen as a player. He was a terrbile defender, a poor tackler, couldnt head or pass accurately, and would often get himself needlessly booked or worse, and for the money he was on throughout his time here I just couldnt go him at all.

 

But from the human being side of it to have this truly awful disease at such a young age is mind-numbingly horrific, and my heart goes out to him and his family.

 

Would I go to a benefit match for Ricksen? No chance, he earned over a million a year at Ibrox for 5 years and had some decent form for about 6 months of that when Ferguson baby-sat him in midfield, but I would make a donation to a Scottish MND charity of the price of a ticket as a mark of respect to the man who tried his best for our club for a few years, and out of sympathy to his plight against a horrible disease.

We have had a plethora of atrocious players in the past 10 years and Ricksen was not one of them. You forget he was a standout in midfield in the 04/05 season. Played a vital role in the deep lying role in 02/03 allowing Ferguson and Arteta to play more advanced roles.

 

He certainly had bad times with us but he was a quality player on his day and I could name so many poorer players from the last 10 or so years that it really is irrelevant criticising him. For a start a good 90% of Eck's signings were all 10 times worse than Ricksen.

 

No surrender Fernando Ricksen.