Legendary striker Marcus Stewart has spoken of feeling “humbled” after seeing more than 2,000 supporters of two of his former clubs turn out to honour him at Huish Park.
His first-ever club, Bristol Rovers, picked up a 2-1 pre-season friendly win over the final club he played or coached with, Yeovil Town, on Saturday in the ‘Match for Marcus’ which raised money and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease, the condition he was diagnosed with in 2022.
Speaking to Yeovil’s social media following the game, the 52-year-old said: “It has been unreal, I need a week to reflect on it and come down from it because these days hit me more two or three days after the event. It is great 2,000 people turned up, it is humbling. I would rather it was not an event for me in these circumstances, I would have rather it be a normal pre-season game, but I was pleased and humbled by the support.
“When Wesso (coach Ian Weston) said to me about it at the end of last season, I said ‘are you sure?’ and he said he would speak to the chairman, which was Martin Hellier, at the time. Off the back of that, I let them get on with it and even though Martin has left (new Executive Chairman) Stuart (Robins) was here and he has done a great job today as well – the programme was brilliant, the hospitality we had was brilliant and there is even a framed shirt and picture of mine upstairs in the (Huish Park) foyer now alongside Skivo.”
The frontman began an illustrious career in the academy at Rovers in 1989 before going on to make his professional debut three years later at the start of a career which saw him score 19 Premier League goals to fire Ipswich Town in to Europe in 2000-01.
He arrived at Huish Park in 2006, initially on loan from Bristol City before making the move permanent, and scored the iconic goal which took an unforgettable League One play-off semi-final at Nottingham Forest in to extra time and eventually saw Yeovil book their first visit to Wembley. Having departed for Exeter City where he ended his playing career, Stewart returned to Huish Park as Head of Player Development under manager Mark Cooper in June 2022, just three months before his diagnosis with MND. He held that role until May when he stepped down.
Over 500 travelling supporters were among the crowd of 2,236 which turned out for the match on Satyurday and Stewart revealed that he spent the second half in the Screwfix Stand.
He said: “I know Yeovil were putting the event on, but I felt in the second half that I had to go and sit with the Rovers fans. 500 of them have come down here and Yeovil and Bristol Rovers are my two favourite clubs in the South West, it is that simple. I wanted to show respect for the fact so many Rovers fans travelled down and I would have thought some of them would have travelled down regardless of it being my event. Yeovil have been brilliant, from the evening they had with me at the end of last season to today’s game, they have been brilliant.”
In his post-match comments, Cooper said he had enjoyed having “the micky taken” by former coaching colleague ahead of the match. On his plans for life after football, Stewart said: “I do enjoy coming back and having a bit of banter in the staff room, but I do not know what I will miss about the game yet, ask me in a few months after my life has settled down a bit.”
The match saw Yeovil go ahead after 21 minutes through an own goal from visiting keeper Brad Young before second half goals from former Glovers’ loanee Kofi Shaw and substitute Luke Thomas sealed the win for the League Two said.
Speaking about Yeovil’s performance, Stewart added: “I thought it was a pre-season game and we were stronger in the first half. The team changes when we brought players on in the second half and it disjoints the game. We had a lot of control in the game, but I think the difference in the second half was down to the changes. It is so important that the players are getting fit and you have a full squad ready for the start of the season, but I am sure Mark will have been pleased with the first half.”