Rivals raise cash for Iggy

More than 2,000 people braved the cold weather to see the ex-players shine once more as they all came together to help Ian, who is fighting cancer for the second time.

Ian 'Iggy' Cartwright was a midfielder who played in the 1982/83 squad that famously took the club back into the top flight.Dudley Primary Care Trust said it couldn't pay for new cancer drug Sutent, so Ian's childhood friend Simon Dunkley stepped in to organise the charity match for the cause at Tividale football ground yesterday.

In the Wolves team there were faces from teams in 1980s and 1990s including Don Goodman, Tim Flowers, Jon Purdie, Robbie Dennison and Keith Downing.

West Bromwich Albion also had a few big names of their own including Richard Sneekes, Cyrille Regis and Bob Taylor.

Before the game, an overwhelmed Ian gave a speech and he spent a lot of the game shaking hands with fans and friends in the stand.

The 42-year-old said: "I'm OK today, but I'm starting treatment tomorrow at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and there are really bad side effects. I'm getting the drug now but I need £20,000 a year to continue with it.

"I have to hope that it works for me and prolongs my life. With the drug I've been told there is a good chance of staying alive." He added: "I was playing tennis back in January 2005 when my back really started to hurt and the pain started getting worse.

"However it was months later before I found out what it was when I had a scan for MRSA. They found a tumour in my kidney and spine. If I hadn't had the scan I would be dead now."

The decison on whether the PCT will pay for the drug will be made later this month. In the meantime, Ian is using a £5,000 grant from the PFA, as well as his own money, to start the course.

Although the Wolves Allstars team was beaten 5-2 by West Bromwich Allstars, the result was unimportant compared to the real reason they were there.

Organisers were still counting the cash last night but were hoping to raise around £10,000 from the game.

By Rebecca Jones