Lifelong Alloa Athletic fan holding charity match for SAMH

Kieren Mooney has supported the Wasps since he was a young boy and will now have the chance to play at his club’s stadium to raise funds for the Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH).

The 25-year-old will join friends, family members and colleagues for the match, set to take place on Saturday, December 21.

Kieren has brought back Heart of the Game, a charity he launched back in 2019 to raise money for good causes that were important to him.

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He spoke with the Advertiser to outline his personal reasons for supporting SAMH after his mum Louise Mooney passed away after a battle with mental health five years ago.

He said: “Mental health is such a massive thing in 2024 and I think everybody has been affected by it or impacted by it at some point or had a friend or a family member impacted by it.

“For me personally, my mum suffered from mental health and unfortunately passed away five years ago.

“Not just to remember her, there are 35 players in this game and like I say, everyone will have their own story.

“It’s a chance for us all to come and raise funds and awareness for something that I think is really important.”

Teammates: Max and Kieren will be in the same team this time round. (Image: Gregor Boyd)

This is the second charity match that the lifelong Wasp has held at the Recs, with the first coming in 2019.

At the time, Kieren raised money for Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland following his own recovery from a heart attack, aged just 18 years old.

He continued: “We did it for Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland [before] so we thought it’d be nice to launch Heart of the Game so we could help multiple charities.

“At that point, the main thing was myself recovering from a heart attack and we wanted to give back and raise awareness for heart problems, especially in young people.

“This time, we’re doing something for mental health. For me personally, it’s my mum but every player will have their own special reason for turning up and raising awareness and funds.

“She was quite integral to the first time we hosted the charity game so we thought it’d be nice five years on to do something to remember her.”

He will be lining up alongside friend Max Turnbull, who starred in the last charity match as the captain of the opposing team.

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Now, the two will come together in the same team, hoping to do what they can on the day for SAMH.

Max said: “I was the opposing captain last time and in the last five minutes, Kieren scored the winner to make it 3-2.

“That was gutting on the day! But it was a great day, seeing all my mates and playing together at this stadium.

“Coming this year again and playing in the same team as Kieren will be much nicer and raising money for a great cause.”

DUO: The pair will be raising funds for SAMH. (Image: Gregor Boyd)

Currently working at Southampton FC, Kieren has teased the involvement of some of St Mary’s’ finest in the promo for the event.

He said: “We’ll try and rope in some familiar faces from football whether they’re playing or involved in the pre-match.

“I’ve already started to chin some of the guys at Saints – they won’t don the boots but I’ll try get them involved in the lead up to it.

“We’d like to encourage as many people to come along, take part in whatever way they want to and make it a real community day.

“Everyone will come with their own reasons and hopefully it’s a good day that we can all come together and celebrate the good work that SAMH do.”

Kieren’s match will be held on December 21 at 2pm, with Alloa away to Cove Rangers that afternoon.

More information about the fundraiser and promotion can be found on the heartofthegame Instagram page.

Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/page/heartofthegame-samh-footballmatch.