Westerveld: Anything we can do to help

Westerveld and his countrymen are hoping to make amends for last year’s 2-0 defeat at Ashton Town, with Nathan ‘Duke’ Ellington scoring both the Wigan goals.

But they are more than happy to play their part in the main objective of the evening - to raise much-needed funds towards finding a cure for the rare genetic disorder NKH, the condition which eight-year-old Wigan youngster Joseph Kendrick suffers from.

“It’s really important to me to be part of this game,” acknowledged Westerveld.

“I played in it last year and when they asked me again I was very happy to come over for it.

“I’ve got four kids myself and when you see Joseph you just want to do everything you can to help.

“Hopefully we can raise a lot of money.”

Arjan de Zeeuw, himself a Latics legend, will once again skipper the Dutch, who arrived in the UK on Thursday night to acclimatise themselves to the north west.

The Dutch also have a secret weapon up their sleeve this year, with the signing of ‘ringer’ Angelos Charisteas, who scored the winning goal for Greece against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the final of Euro 2004.

The 37-year-old striker qualifies having represented Ajax and Feyenoord with disinction during his glittering career.

Kick-off at Ashton Town is 7.30pm, and it’s pay on the gate priced £10 adults and £5 concessions.

Dutch squad: Arjan dde Zeeuw, Sander Westerveld, Jan Kromkamp, Marco Miltenburg, Ken Monkou, Kiki Musampa, Pascal Bosschaart, Dean Gorre, Angelos Charisteas, Glenn Helder, Ellery Cairo, Michel Vonk, Michael Mols, Zeb Den Uyl, Romano Denneboom, Gerald Sibon, Gerald Vanenburg, Tim de Cler.