Latest news with #MarcusStewart
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Phil Tufnell is among sports stars paying tribute at funeral of England cricketer David 'Syd' Lawrence who lost battle with motor neurone disease aged 61
Phil Tufnell was among a raft of sports stars who gathered to pay tribute at the funeral of England cricketer David 'Syd' Lawrence yesterday. Fast bowler turned nightclub owner, Lawrence, 61, died after a year-long battle with the debilitating Motor Neurone Disease (MND) on June 21. In a career which was cruelly cut short just as he made a late breakthrough into the England team, Lawrence represented the national side in five Tests between 1988 and 1992 and took 515 first-class wickets over 17 years. Off the field, Lawrence was held in such high regard that he was named president of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in 2022, before being made an MBE last month in the King's birthday honours list. The sport has mourned his death in the weeks that have since passed, evidenced by rows of the historic St Mary Redcliffe church in Bristol being packed with those looking to say their final goodbyes to the cricketing hero. Lawrence was carried by his son at a service attended by family, friends and sporting icons like his England teammates, Tufnell, Jack Russell and Mark Alleyne, as well as Ipswich Town footballing legend, Marcus Stewart, who also has MND. Led by Rev Rupert Martin, attendees at the funeral heard of Lawrence's love, personality and his willingness to always see the good in every situation. A eulogy was read by George Orchard, while tributes came from those who knew him best - Shauna Mighty and Bev Powell, Alice Lawrence and his son, former professional rugby player, Buster Lawrence. The order of service showed how Lawrence should be remembered: in his powerful prime, with a cricket sweater adorning his broad shoulders - before he spent his latter days in a wheelchair as a result of the neurological disease. Inside were images of Lawrence as a bow-tied schoolboy, before he discovered he had such a terrific cricketing talent, and the back cover revealed an image of Lawrence riding one of his beloved motorcycles. Mr Russell had the job of catching Lawrence's bowling behind the stumps since they were both children, before the pair went on to represent their nation together. Paying tribute to his late friend outside the church, he said: 'Syd was everything because we grew up together, we were youngsters together at under-13s together, so we travelled the same path really, in the same changing room for many, many years together and he was really close. 'It's a difficult day for everyone, it's been a difficult time for the last year or so for his family in particular, but we're determined to give him a good send off because he meant so much to so many people. 'He was a special person, a great personality, larger than life, did everything at 100mph, 100 per cent, no half measures, and played his cricket like that. It's a sad day, we're all going to miss him, but he'll never ever be forgotten.'
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Should McCann and Rae have made underrated Sunderland players list?
Former Sunderland defender Darren Williams selcted Lee Cattermole, Marcus Stewart, Andy Reid, Chris Maguire and Luke O'Nien as his five most underrated players the club has had in the 21st asked for your thoughts on his selections:Sean: O'Nien is a worthy winner. Consistency, longevity and playing through injuries, as well as leadership on and off the pitch. Maguire wasn't underrated, though - he had a great game in him but nowhere near often enough. Gavin McCann would be my pick to replace him - an unsung player in our best years, while Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips took the Cattermole was a top underrated player. He could tackle, pass short or long, motivate team-mates and much more. At a time when Sunderland weren't great, and perhaps some players weren't bothered, he never gave less than 100%.Luke: There are about 50 players better than Maguire I can think Agree Cattermole was a massively underrated and hugely important player for us. Terrific servant - more so given his Middlesbrough roots. I would also put Alex Rae on my list, another wholehearted lad who led by example.
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'A fiery type' and 'a fantastic goalscorer' - Sunderland's most underrated players
Former Sunderland defender Darren Williams has selected his top-five most underrated Black Cats players over the past 25 part of a BBC Radio Newcastle special, he chose midfielder Lee Cattermole in fifth place:"Cattermole was a fiery type of lad. Maybe he spent a little bit of time getting sent off or bookings and missing games."He's at that level for a reason. They haven't just put him in to kick people - he's got quality and he's a good player."In fourth place, Williams chose striker Marcus Stewart:"A fantastic goalscorer and his work-rate was phenomenal. He was a great team player, a great team-mate and I think he probably didn't reach that pinnacle."He maybe got overshadowed by the likes of Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips, but he is probably one player around that time who you would have had in your squad."Come back to this page throughout Wednesday to see the rest of Darren's to the top-five special on underrated playersAccess top-five shows on managers, centre-backs and hardmen here
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Things are getting difficult'
Marcus Stewart stepped down from his role at Yeovil Town at the end of last season [Rex Features] Former striker Marcus Stewart said he left his Yeovil Town coaching role this summer because he did not feel he would be able to "physically do the job" as his motor neurone disease (MND) progresses. The 52-year-old stepped down from his role as head of player development at the National League side at the end of last season in May. Advertisement Stewart, who played for Ipswich, Bristol Rovers, Exeter City, Sunderland and the Glovers during his career, was diagnosed with the degenerative and incurable condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord in 2022. "Things are getting difficult, slowly taking my independence away," Stewart told BBC Radio Somerset. "Next year I don't think I'd be able to physically do the job even though I was part-time. "I didn't really want to rely on people next season and I didn't want to commit to something and then halfway through the season have to quit the club." Advertisement Stewart played for clubs including Sunderland, Ipswich, Bristol Rovers and Huddersfield [Getty Images] Bristol-born Stewart featured in all top four tiers in England, scoring 254 goals in 783 games across his 20-year playing career. He joined Yeovil's coaching staff in June 2022 and three months later confirmed his MND diagnosis. "It's very difficult to clean my teeth, put my shoes on. It seems to have affected my right arm now as well as my left," Stewart said. "But it's all about finding solutions for me, not having a problem. That's what I've got to do every time it affects me in some sort of way." While football has been Stewart's life for decades, he said so far he has not missed the sport, with much of his time being taken up preparing for an upcoming move with his family to Manchester. Advertisement "For the last 30-odd years I've always had this time of year off anyway, so it's just normal for me," he added. "Give it a month or two when things have settled down and I'm in the house and I'm watching more football, I think that's a question for then. "At the moment there's so many things going on in my life." Stewart added that having football in his life since his diagnosis has been a big help. "I'm sure if I look back in two or three years' time I'd realise that I needed that football environment to help with dealing with the diagnosis," he said. Advertisement "And the support they've given me as a club, and the staff members, has been top class." 'I can get MND message out there' Stewart is one of a number of high profile sports people who have been diagnosed with MND in recent years and alongside his coaching he has participated in a number of fundraisers for the Darby Rimmer Foundation. Its purpose is to find treatments and eventually a cure while supporting the families of people who live with MND. "The biggest kick I get out of it is when I see so many people with MND that haven't got a voice - not like a profile, like literally [no voice]," Stewart said. Advertisement "They want to help and they want to get involved and they can't move. I suppose I can help, along with Kevin Sinfield, Stephen Darby and Ed Slater, with getting it out there and helping raise funds and find a cure." Two of his former clubs, Yeovil and Bristol Rovers, will play each other in a pre-season friendly at Huish Park in a 'Match for Marcus' to celebrate his career on Saturday, 19 July. "It's very nice that people think about me and think about MND and it was kind of them to think about me for that game," Stewart said. "All I've got to do is hope that we keep on fundraising and do a lot more for MND."
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Things are getting difficult'
Former striker Marcus Stewart has said he left his Yeovil Town coaching role this summer as he did not feel he would be able to "physically do the job" as his motor neurone disease (MND) 52-year-old stepped down from his role as head of player development at the National League side at the end of last season in who played for Ipswich, Bristol Rovers, Exeter City, Sunderland and the Glovers during his career, was diagnosed with the degenerative and incurable condition which affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord in 2022."Things are getting difficult, slowly taking my independence away," Stewart told BBC Radio Somerset."Next year I don't think I'd be able to physically do the job even though I was part-time."I didn't really want to rely on people next season and I didn't want to commit to something then and halfway through the season have to quit the club." Bristol-born Stewart played in all top four tiers in England, scoring 254 goals in 783 games across his 20-year playing joined Yeovil's coaching staff in June 2022 and three months later confirmed his MND diagnosis."It's very difficult to clean my teeth, put my shoes on, it seems to have affected my right arm now as well as my left," Stewart said. "But it's all about finding solutions for me, not having a problem. That's what I've got to do every time it affects me in some sort of way."While football has been Stewart's life for decades he said he so far has not missed the sport - a feeling significantly helped by his time being taken up preparing for an upcoming move with his family to Manchester."Purely because for the last 30-odd years I've always had this time of year off anyway, so it's just normal for me," he said."Give it a month or two when things have settled down and I'm in the house and I'm watching more football I think that's a question for then."At the moment there's so many things going on in my life." Stewart added that having football in his life since his diagnosis had been a big help."I'm sure if I look back in two or three years' time I'd realise that I needed that football environment to help with dealing with the diagnosis," he said."And the support they've given me as a club and the staff members has been top class." 'I can help getting MND cause out there' Stewart is one of a number of high profile sports people who have been diagnosed with MND in recent years and alongside his coaching he has participated in a number of fundraisers for the Darby Rimmer Foundation. Its purpose is to find treatments and eventually a cure while supporting the families of people who live with MND."The biggest kick I get out of it is when I see so many people with MND that haven't got a voice - not like a profile, like literally [no voice]," Stewart said. "They want to help and they want to get involved and they can't move. I suppose I can help, along with Kev Sinfield, Stephen Darby and Ed Slater, with getting it out there and helping raise funds and find a cure."Two of his former clubs, Yeovil and Bristol Rovers, will play each other in a pre-season friendly at Huish Park in a 'Match for Marcus' to celebrate his career on Saturday, 19 July. "It's very nice that people think about me and think about MND and it was kind of them to think about me for that game," Stewart said."All I've got to do is hope that we keep on fundraising and do a lot more for MND."
