Cricket captain switches loyalties to help raise money for cancer charity

Exeter City

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

ALPHINGTON & Countess Wear cricket captain James Bogue is a lifelong Plymouth Argyle supporter so the last thing you might find in his wardrobe is an Exeter City shirt.

But good sport Bogue allowed himself to be photographed at St James’ Park wearing a fully autographed City shirt to help raise money for a deserving cause.

And Exeter businessman Graham White stumped up £180 for the pleasure of seeing his cricketing pal wearing the match-day kit of his own team’s arch-rivals.

“It was worth every penny,” said White, who owns the McKinley-White estate agency.

When all bids were totted up, and donations added in, a grand total of exactly £1,000 was raised for the charity.

The shirt was among the auction lots at the charity dinner organised by Bogue’s cricket club to raise money for a number of good causes, one of them the prostate cancer charity the Chestnut Appeal.

The dinner, hosted at the Devon Motel on the outskirts of Exeter, was organised on behalf of the cricket club by Mark Tyler, the former television broadcaster and match-day announcer at St James’ Park.

Ex-Somerset and England cricketer Vic Marks was the after-dinner speaker and took the opportunity to talk about his new book.

Bogue, a senior manager with Exeter City Council, was running a seminar at St James’ Park when Tyler produced the shirt and demanded a picture.

“How could I say ‘no’ for such a good cause?” said Bogue.

“Graham said he would make an extra donation if I agreed to have my photo taken wearing the shirt. I just hope none of my fellow Argyle supporters see it and think I have changed sides.”

Bogue said there was a good reason he had been an Argyle fan since he was old enough to follow football.

“I was born in Plymouth and literally grew up a stone’s throw from Home Park so there was never any danger I would support anyone else,” said Bogue.

“When I moved to Exeter to study at the university about 20 years ago I stayed loyal to Argyle, although will admit to having a soft spot for City too.

“Right now we are both in the top four in Division Two. If it stays like that the game between us at Home Park late next month will be massive.”