Fan Zhiyi in drive to raise funds for Cheung's family

Former Asian Footballer of the Year Fan Zhiyi has pledged to take part in one of the matches being organised this Sunday for the family of Hong Kong international Cheung Yiu-lun, who was killed in a car crash last Friday.

Fan, the former Shanghai Shenhua, Crystal Palace, Dundee and Cardiff City defender, who retired from international football after the 2002 World Cup having represented China over 100 times, has told the Hong Kong Football Association that he wants to be involved in the games at Mongkok Stadium which will raise money for Cheung's pregnant wife.

'It just happens that Fan is in Hong Kong at the time and he said he wanted to contribute something,' explained HKFA general secretary Martin Lam.

'This is not the sort of thing that we'd ever want to have to organise in the first place, but the good thing is that so many people care.

'So many of the current players want to be involved, want to know how they can help. What we'll probably do is get those that don't play to help solicit donations from the crowd.'

The HKFA has not yet confirmed who Fan will play for on Sunday when an invitational side representing Cheung's former Buler Rangers teammates will face a Hong Kong League XI comprising the 25-year-old's colleagues from the national team and some of the top foreigners currently playing in the SAR.

As a curtain raiser for that match, a host of stars from the entertainment world are expected to line up against an HKFA Directors XI that will feature some of the past legends of Hong Kong football.