Danny Wilson, Oleks Zinchenko, a Ukrainian boy and MCFC

Didsbury Dave said:
Not the dust is settling I thought I'd share with you my tale of the way Manchester City have acted behind the scenes and changed a young and shattered life for the better.

We took a small Ukrainian family from the war in April of this year. A mother and her 13 year old son, Myla and Timur,they arrived at Manchester Airport traumatised and confused. They'd left their beds one early morning and fled, after hearing bombs, leaving their dad behind. On the way to the border the lady who'd joined them had a heart attack and passed her ten year old on to them, so she could find a hospital. The three of them ended up being picked up by a strange car at 3am, freezing cold, in the middle of nowhere, who thankfully turned out to be a volunteer who took them across the border. They ended up in Prague in a little hotel and that's where we found them and arranged their travel. Whilst my wife hassled the government and the MP they found out that their husband/father had been conscripted to a bunker in a school basement somewhere, despite never having held a gun in his life.

This was the state of play when they arrived. They spoke little English but Timur was football crazy and got very animated when I asked him about Oleks Zinchenko. I bought him a ticket for the Real Madrid home game the following week and we set about trying to build them a new life. The Real game was his first ever game and he was so excited (although he didn't even realise it was two legs until the car journey home!) He was up on his seat giving it "City! City!" like a proper blue.

After a few people suggested it, I emailed Danny Wilson to tell him about Timur. Danny's an old friend from years ago but I haven't seen him in a long time. He was straight on the phone and the next thing you know he organised four Tunnel Club tickets from me, Timur and my boys, for the Watford game. We went and had a wonderful time and then after the game Danny came over and whisked us downstairs to the dressing room area. Out came Oleks Zinchenko, had a long chat with Timur who was by now dying of excitement, and made several videos for him to send to his Dad, brother and friends. Oleks gave him his mobile number and asked him to stay in touch. I had a beer with Danny in the Tunnel Club after and he offered match tickets for Timur for any game and concert tickets for Myla for all of the concerts at the Etihad this summer.

Timur was now a massive blue, watching the games face to face or on the telly with me and my boys. Last week Danny Wilson, unprompted, got in touch with me again and sorted out Timur a ticket for the Villa game up with us. He even offered to give us all tickets but I'm a season ticket holder already, had bought tickets for my boys and didn't want to take the piss. Oh how excited Tumur was now, until Thursday of this week when his phone went and he was suddenly talking to Zinchenko again. He offered him a place in his family's box for the game. Wow. But this wasn't even the end of the story because as I was waiting for the bus meet, about 1.30pm on Sunday, and Timur and my boys were having a burger at City Square, Danny Wilson rang me again. It was only a quick walk to where he was at City@Home, and there he presented me with Olek's shirt, signed by the whole squad. Any of you with kids will know that a player's shirt is literally the holy grail these days. You should have seen Timur's face.

So we won the league, with Timur witnessing it wearing Oleks' shirt,with the Zinchenko (and Cancelo and De Bruyne) family. He got photos of himself with Zin's winner's medal. The head master of Timur's School in Ukraine (which is still running lessons!) held an assembly on Monday morning and showed the picture to the whole school (or what's left of them) who applauded wildly. Timur has talked of nothing else. He's built a little shrine to Manchester City in his bedroom. He walks around the house in a City scarf chanting "City!" at random

Danny Wilson and Oleks Zinchenko sought no publicity over this. They did it, to quote Danny, to "let him be a part of something special". They changed the life of a deeply distressed and depressed little boy and gave him happiness and hope when he needed it the most. What a credit they both are to MCFC, and how proud I am of the club I love.
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Been thinking about this all day, a lovely thing to read. Great you posted after everything has settled down too. Let's us sit down and think about everything with a smile knowing that thee is still some decency left. Good to hear and well done to all involved.
 
I'm in Manchester for a few days, it was the missus back in the u.s. who phoned in tears a little while ago to tell me about this thread, she's not that much into football but has been moved by this since i first showed her DD's original post about the Ukrainian family. And well done Danny Wilson too (who i once thought was the same Danny Wilson who'd played rugby league for Swinton), he's done good work for years.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
Not the dust is settling I thought I'd share with you my tale of the way Manchester City have acted behind the scenes and changed a young and shattered life for the better.

We took a small Ukrainian family from the war in April of this year. A mother and her 13 year old son, Myla and Timur,they arrived at Manchester Airport traumatised and confused. They'd left their beds one early morning and fled, after hearing bombs, leaving their dad behind. On the way to the border the lady who'd joined them had a heart attack and passed her ten year old on to them, so she could find a hospital. The three of them ended up being picked up by a strange car at 3am, freezing cold, in the middle of nowhere, who thankfully turned out to be a volunteer who took them across the border. They ended up in Prague in a little hotel and that's where we found them and arranged their travel. Whilst my wife hassled the government and the MP they found out that their husband/father had been conscripted to a bunker in a school basement somewhere, despite never having held a gun in his life.

This was the state of play when they arrived. They spoke little English but Timur was football crazy and got very animated when I asked him about Oleks Zinchenko. I bought him a ticket for the Real Madrid home game the following week and we set about trying to build them a new life. The Real game was his first ever game and he was so excited (although he didn't even realise it was two legs until the car journey home!) He was up on his seat giving it "City! City!" like a proper blue.

After a few people suggested it, I emailed Danny Wilson to tell him about Timur. Danny's an old friend from years ago but I haven't seen him in a long time. He was straight on the phone and the next thing you know he organised four Tunnel Club tickets from me, Timur and my boys, for the Watford game. We went and had a wonderful time and then after the game Danny came over and whisked us downstairs to the dressing room area. Out came Oleks Zinchenko, had a long chat with Timur who was by now dying of excitement, and made several videos for him to send to his Dad, brother and friends. Oleks gave him his mobile number and asked him to stay in touch. I had a beer with Danny in the Tunnel Club after and he offered match tickets for Timur for any game and concert tickets for Myla for all of the concerts at the Etihad this summer.

Timur was now a massive blue, watching the games face to face or on the telly with me and my boys. Last week Danny Wilson, unprompted, got in touch with me again and sorted out Timur a ticket for the Villa game up with us. He even offered to give us all tickets but I'm a season ticket holder already, had bought tickets for my boys and didn't want to take the piss. Oh how excited Tumur was now, until Thursday of this week when his phone went and he was suddenly talking to Zinchenko again. He offered him a place in his family's box for the game. Wow. But this wasn't even the end of the story because as I was waiting for the bus meet, about 1.30pm on Sunday, and Timur and my boys were having a burger at City Square, Danny Wilson rang me again. It was only a quick walk to where he was at City@Home, and there he presented me with Olek's shirt, signed by the whole squad. Any of you with kids will know that a player's shirt is literally the holy grail these days. You should have seen Timur's face.

So we won the league, with Timur witnessing it wearing Oleks' shirt,with the Zinchenko (and Cancelo and De Bruyne) family. He got photos of himself with Zin's winner's medal. The head master of Timur's School in Ukraine (which is still running lessons!) held an assembly on Monday morning and showed the picture to the whole school (or what's left of them) who applauded wildly. Timur has talked of nothing else. He's built a little shrine to Manchester City in his bedroom. He walks around the house in a City scarf chanting "City!" at random

Danny Wilson and Oleks Zinchenko sought no publicity over this. They did it, to quote Danny, to "let him be a part of something special". They changed the life of a deeply distressed and depressed little boy and gave him happiness and hope when he needed it the most. What a credit they both are to MCFC, and how proud I am of the club I love.
Click to expand...
Wow. Absolutely incredible. It’s fantastic from everyone at the club, but also you for doing what you and your family have done.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
Not the dust is settling I thought I'd share with you my tale of the way Manchester City have acted behind the scenes and changed a young and shattered life for the better.

We took a small Ukrainian family from the war in April of this year. A mother and her 13 year old son, Myla and Timur,they arrived at Manchester Airport traumatised and confused. They'd left their beds one early morning and fled, after hearing bombs, leaving their dad behind. On the way to the border the lady who'd joined them had a heart attack and passed her ten year old on to them, so she could find a hospital. The three of them ended up being picked up by a strange car at 3am, freezing cold, in the middle of nowhere, who thankfully turned out to be a volunteer who took them across the border. They ended up in Prague in a little hotel and that's where we found them and arranged their travel. Whilst my wife hassled the government and the MP they found out that their husband/father had been conscripted to a bunker in a school basement somewhere, despite never having held a gun in his life.

This was the state of play when they arrived. They spoke little English but Timur was football crazy and got very animated when I asked him about Oleks Zinchenko. I bought him a ticket for the Real Madrid home game the following week and we set about trying to build them a new life. The Real game was his first ever game and he was so excited (although he didn't even realise it was two legs until the car journey home!) He was up on his seat giving it "City! City!" like a proper blue.

After a few people suggested it, I emailed Danny Wilson to tell him about Timur. Danny's an old friend from years ago but I haven't seen him in a long time. He was straight on the phone and the next thing you know he organised four Tunnel Club tickets from me, Timur and my boys, for the Watford game. We went and had a wonderful time and then after the game Danny came over and whisked us downstairs to the dressing room area. Out came Oleks Zinchenko, had a long chat with Timur who was by now dying of excitement, and made several videos for him to send to his Dad, brother and friends. Oleks gave him his mobile number and asked him to stay in touch. I had a beer with Danny in the Tunnel Club after and he offered match tickets for Timur for any game and concert tickets for Myla for all of the concerts at the Etihad this summer.

Timur was now a massive blue, watching the games face to face or on the telly with me and my boys. Last week Danny Wilson, unprompted, got in touch with me again and sorted out Timur a ticket for the Villa game up with us. He even offered to give us all tickets but I'm a season ticket holder already, had bought tickets for my boys and didn't want to take the piss. Oh how excited Tumur was now, until Thursday of this week when his phone went and he was suddenly talking to Zinchenko again. He offered him a place in his family's box for the game. Wow. But this wasn't even the end of the story because as I was waiting for the bus meet, about 1.30pm on Sunday, and Timur and my boys were having a burger at City Square, Danny Wilson rang me again. It was only a quick walk to where he was at City@Home, and there he presented me with Olek's shirt, signed by the whole squad. Any of you with kids will know that a player's shirt is literally the holy grail these days. You should have seen Timur's face.

So we won the league, with Timur witnessing it wearing Oleks' shirt,with the Zinchenko (and Cancelo and De Bruyne) family. He got photos of himself with Zin's winner's medal. The head master of Timur's School in Ukraine (which is still running lessons!) held an assembly on Monday morning and showed the picture to the whole school (or what's left of them) who applauded wildly. Timur has talked of nothing else. He's built a little shrine to Manchester City in his bedroom. He walks around the house in a City scarf chanting "City!" at random

Danny Wilson and Oleks Zinchenko sought no publicity over this. They did it, to quote Danny, to "let him be a part of something special". They changed the life of a deeply distressed and depressed little boy and gave him happiness and hope when he needed it the most. What a credit they both are to MCFC, and how proud I am of the club I love.
Click to expand...
Well done Dave .
 
Pollocksheader said:
So much better to know it’s no PR stunt. Not all about photo ops and not done with the right intensions. All about caring and trying to make a difference to a shattered life. I almost wish city did announce this kind of stuff to try stop so much shit thrown our way. But who cares, what a story and what a man Danny Wilson is. Credit to city
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Yeah the club haven’t broadcast it or leaked it anywhere. It’s when you know it’s genuinely for the benefit of the fan(s).
 
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