A FOOTBALL match with a team of players who have all received organ transplants took place in Newport on Sunday - the first of its kind in the UK.

The Match for Life was held at Rodney Parade in which a team made up of players who have all had organ transplants including heart, kidney and pancreas, played against a mixture of Newport County legends including Michael Flynn and Byron Anthony.

Around 150 people cheered on the Transplant Sport team who won with four goals to three. Also among the famous faces involved in the Newport County team were double World Championships and Commonwealth Games medal winner Christian Malcolm and Exiles manager Warren Feeney.

The captain of the Transplant Sport team was Simon Keith, 50, who became the first footballer to play professionally after a heart transplant. His donor was a 17-year-old boy from Newport.

He said: “To be a recipient there are no words to talk about the gratitude you feel towards a donor and the donor’s family who make heroic decisions from tragic circumstances.

“If we can help raise awareness of organ donation that will be something. To try to help people like Rhys [Thomas] who is in the middle of a battle right now. It’s tough being on that waiting list.”

Mr Keith runs his own foundation called the Simon Keith Foundation which helps support children who have had transplants to get active and healthy.

He said: “We’re hoping to play matches in different cities around the world but it all started here in Newport. It had to take place here.”

Former Gwent Dragon and Wales rugby international Rhys Thomas was supporting the Transplant Sport team and is currently on the waiting list for a heart transplant.

He said: “Raising awareness of organ donation is so important. I’ve seen people die because they haven’t receive an organ in time.”

Richard Parker, of the Yellow Hat organisation organised the match, he said it was lovely to see County fans cheering the transport team players when they did a lap of honour.

Anna-Louise Bates and her three-year-old daughter Elizabeth, who took part as a mascot, were supporting the match. Mrs Bates set up Believe Organ Donor Support in memory of her husband Stuart and her seven-year-old son Fraser who died after they were hit by a car in Llantrisant last December.

Her son Fraser has saved four lives through the donation of his organs.

Mrs Bates said: “It’s the first time I’ve met recipients of organ transplants it has been really emotional for us. It’s such a positive event.”

For more information, visit transplantsport.org.uk, yellow-hat.org.uk or thesimonkeithfoundation.com.