Carl Ikeme: Wolves fans' Wembley banner gave me huge boost
Carl Ikeme has thanked the Wolves fans who unfurled a huge banner in support of him at Wembley, saying it gave him a huge ‘boost’ in his ongoing battle with acute leukaemia.
Ninety Wolves supporters travelled down to London on Saturday to unfurl the banner at the national stadium during England’s friendly with Nigeria.
Ikeme would have been heading to the World Cup with Nigeria this summer had he not been diagnosed with leukaemia last year, and the 31-year-old has been named as an honorary member of their squad.
The banner, which is 10m by 10m, was taken to every Wolves away game last season and has now visited Wembley too.
When he got wind of the plan, Ikeme sent a message that left a ‘lump in the throat’ of the organisers from Telford Wolves supporters’ group.
Ikeme said: “I just want to say thank you to Telford Wolves and everyone who has been involved in showing me such great support, and particularly taking your flag around the country, during the season.
“I don’t think people will ever realise how much of a boost it has given me to know that Wolves fans have still been thinking of me, particularly when I have had tough times during the treatment.
“I only need to log on to Twitter to see that support, and to see photos of the flag at Molineux or an away ground, and it has made such a difference.
“I am doing ok, but still having treatment, so unfortunately won’t be at Wembley for the game.”
Mark Hadley was one of the organisers who put on two buses down to Wembley full of Wolves fans.
“It’s unprecedented really because they don’t allow crowd-surfing banners at Wembley but they were very recipient towards it,” he said.
“Carl’s message was read out on each bus before the game,” he said. “It was a real lump in the throat moment.
“Everybody who was on that bus was to support Carl, none of us went to support England.
"We’ll carry on flying this flag until Carl is well enough to help us pack it away.”
The banner was carried across the whole home end and warmly received by the Nigerian supporters.
Telford Wolves have been running for more than 40 years, and have hundreds of members.
