Club legend Cliff Byrne returns to play for the Iron this weekend

Scunthorpe United is delighted to confirm the return of Cliff Byrne as he will play for the Iron as part of our Legends XI encounter on Sunday, August 2nd (4pm kick-off).

Republic of Ireland defender Cliff Byrne is widely regarded as one of Scunthorpe United's greatest modern-day servants. Initially joining the Iron on loan from Sunderland in 2002 before making the move permanent the following summer, Byrne went on to make 343 appearances for the club across two spells, scoring nine goals.

A committed and uncompromising defender, Byrne was a key member of some of the most successful teams in the club's history, helping Scunthorpe achieve four promotions, including the 2006-07 League One title and promotion to the Championship via the 2009 League One play-off final at Wembley, where he captained the side to victory over Millwall. He also scored one of the most iconic goals in the club's history, heading a dramatic late equaliser against Tranmere Rovers in 2009 to secure the Iron's place in the play-offs.

Renowned for his leadership, courage and wholehearted commitment, Byrne remains a firm favourite among Iron supporters and is remembered as one of the club's finest captains and most dependable defenders of the modern era.

IRON AID 2026

Scunthorpe United Football Club is delighted to announce the return of Iron Aid, with a Scunthorpe United Legends side set to take on a Manchester United Legends XI in a special pre-season fixture at the Attis Arena on Sunday, August 2nd (4pm kick-off) as part of a wider event with more details to be released in due course.

The highly anticipated event, organised in partnership with Nor-Lait Promotions, will bring together some of the most iconic names from both clubs' histories for a memorable afternoon of football, nostalgia and fundraising.

Iron supporters will once again have the opportunity to see former fan favourites pull on the claret and blue shirt, while a star-studded Manchester United Legends squad promises to attract supporters from across the region.

The match marks the return of the popular Iron Aid concept, which in 2024, as part of the club's 125h anniversary celebrations, raised significant funds for local charities and community causes, whilst creating unforgettable occasions for supporters of all ages.

PLAYERS INVOLVED

As we confirm our ex-professional players line-up, we will begin to confirm them on social media.

If you're a former footballer for the Iron, reading this, and would like to get involved, please get in touch!

CONFIRMED SO FAR...
Manager of the Iron team: Brian Laws, Mark Lillis (assistant)
Iron Players: Josh Morris, Sam Togwell, Michael Nelson, Cleveland Taylor, Martyn Woolford, David Mirfin, Neal Bishop, Tony Daws, Chris Hope, Lee Novak, Russ Wilcox, Nathan Stanton, Andy Butler, Cliff Byrne

Manchester United Legends manager: Steve Bruce and Bryan Robson
Manchester United Legends players: Chris Eagles, Wes Brown, Russell Beardsmore, Danny Webber, Lee Trundle (guest player), Darron Gibson

Due to the nature of football, and ever-changing cycles, the appearance of some confirmed players may change at short notice.

SPONSORSHIP

There are a number of sponsorship, VVIP, VIP and hospitality packages available for the game.

Please contact Simon North (07472 690709) or Tess Conway (07403 980888) or by emailing [email protected] for further details, with Nor-Lait Promotions handling these packages.