Gents,
 
As you will all probably know by now, David was tragically injured, fracturing his knee in three places while playing for the All-Stars in an official IFFC game. As you can imagine the injury is 10 times as bad as it sounds and not only will it mean months in plaster, but also long-term rehabilitation. David will not be able to play football again for as long as 18 months, leaving both the All-Stars and the Barbarians with a gaping whole in midfield.
 
People often tell me that the best thing about being a Barbarian is not the football, it is the feeling of belonging to something that is exceptional, that is an extension of your family, and that is always there when you need it. It really makes me proud to know that people really appreciate the art of being a Barbarian and all that it means to represent. We've come along way since we started this quest six years ago. It is therefore with great confidence that I know you will ALL now support David in his time of need, when the chips are down. One of our brothers/companions/fellow Barbarians has been hurt and it's up to us to now help him out.
 
As such, one of my last jobs as the current Chairman will be to help ensure that we do help David out in as much a Barbarian way as possible, just as I hope the new Chairman would be sure to help other players - god forbid anything should happen to them (YOU) in the future (touch wood).
 
On June 20, the Club will be holding a fundraiser for David to try and help cover his medical costs. David has no insurance, and the surgery and physiotherapy do not come cheaply. Therefore management felt this was the best area for us to help David out. I know we are holding the End of Season Bash on June 6, and yes, it is very close to spend yet another night at All-Star. But we can't choose when a player gets an injury of this magnitude. You can't exactly blame David for having his knee destroyed by a French man. The timing sucks all round: only three games from the end of the season and within spitting distance of our monster end of season party. But...it has, and he now needs our help, so I expect you will all support us in our quest to help one of our friends when they really need it most!
 
Michael will be the go to person on this and he will be the one communicating all future references to this fundraiser. Michael is working super hard to ensure this night works for everyone and I hope you will also support Michael if he needs your help to do something. Michael is a trooper for stepping up and helping out and I hope you'll show him, David and the Club the respect they deserve in this difficult time.
 
So, many thanks for your support this year, as with every year, and I really hope you do us proud at the fundraiser. And please be on the lookout for more info on this from Michael in the coming days.
 
Cheers,
Lee Green,
Chairman
Beijing Barbarians