Express & Star

Wolves fans to honour Carl Ikeme in charity 24-hour penalty shoot-out

A 24-hour penalty shoot out will take place at Molineux to raise money for charity after Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with leukaemia.

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The Wolves goalkeeper was diagnosed with the disease earlier this month and is currently undergoing treatment.

Tributes have poured in from across the footballing world for the 31-year-old - and now the huge footballing challenge is set to take place before the first home game of the season against Middlesbrough on August 5.

It will begin be opened at 10am on the morning before and continue through until 10am on the day Wolves kick-off their 2017/18 Championship campaign.

Organised by the club and fan Steve Plant – who is known for his sell-out book They Wore The Shirt – the event will raise money for the Cure Leukaemia charity.

The 56-year-old, from Wordsley, said: "On a personal level I got to know Carl really well when I was putting the book together.

"He was one of the first to have a copy and I've got to know him. That's why it hit me so hard. He'd become a friend rather than a player. That was why I wanted to get involved.

"When the fans started saying is there something we can do that's when it all started. I was approached by fans on Twitter who wanted to do something and so emailed the club.

"I went in the next day and we picked the best ideas and that's where it came from. Within an hour it had gone from the shock of it to doing something about it."

Club legend Steve Bull will kick-start the event before fans are invited to try their luck at a penalty at £5 for three shots. A 'top bins' challenge – similarly to the one on Soccer AM – will give fans the chance to win a certificate and the chance to take a penalty at a future game.

Anyone wanting to take part will be asked to text CARL24 £5 to 70070, the money will go straight to the charity, they will receive a message and just have to show it upon arrival.

The penalty challenge will not take place on the Molineux pitch but inside Wolfie's Den inside the Stan Cullis stand.

Children are welcome to attend and take penalties as long as they're accompanied by an adult.

Meanwhile, a family fun day fundraiser will be taking place on September 2 between 12pm and 2pm during the football international break.

It will be in the Stan Cullis' WV1 Bar – with Wolves players from the 70s to present day in attendance, including the likes of Kenny Hibbitt, John Richards and Phil Parkes.

To keep up to date with details follow Steve Plant on Twitter at @wolvesmatchworn