Fundraiser for statue in memory of rugby player

A fundraiser to install a statue in memory of a former rugby player who died from Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has been set up.

Ex-Coventry player Matt Gallagher died on 8 March, more than two years after was diagnosed with MND in October 2023.

He went on to create the Matt Gallagher Foundation, raising more than £1.6m to support other people in the West Midlands living with the disease, as well as their families.

Mark Shelton, from the foundation, wrote on the fundraising page that they were ready to move forward with the commissioning of a bronze statue that would be erected in his honour. The group want to raise £16,000.

"This memorial will stand as a lasting tribute, ensuring that for generations to come Matt's stoicism, fortitude, strength of character and selflessness are remembered with great fondness and respect," he said.

Nearly £3,000 has already been raised since the fundraiser began, with any additional funds beyond the target amount set to be donated to the foundation.

Shelton said sculptor Paul Kennedy had been commissioned for the work and Gallagher's wife Lisa and family had selected a "truly fitting photograph" to serve as the sculpture's inspiration.

The design process would begin once the initial 25% deposit had been secured, he added.

Gallagher began playing at Solihull Rugby Club at the age of five, going on to play for the Birmingham Bees' first team.

He later signed for Coventry RFC in 1996, playing more than 100 games for the team before leaving in 2001 and concluding his rugby career at Birmingham and Solihull, before he retired in 2003.

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