Junior school children throughout Medway are being invited to try their penalty-taking skills against some of the country’s soccer legends.

They will be up against the Wimbledon 1988 FA Cup winning captain and keeper Dave Bessant or the former Wales and Southampton goalie Paul Jones.

They will take part in a competition at half time in an all stars charity match at Priestfield Stadium on Sunday May 4.

The top youngster will win a football signed by all the celebrities and his or her school will collect £500 towards sports equipment.

The match is being organised to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity, which cares for injured servicemen and women returning from war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

A target of £6m has been set to build a swimming pool and gymnasium at the Forces Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey, where Kent troops are helped back on to the road to recovery.

Steve Craddock, the Kent organiser for the charity hopes to raise £100,000 with a series of events in the county this year. The soccer match at Priestfield is the biggest so far.

He said: “I want to get about 6,000 people into Priestfield Stadium on the day but my plan is to get as many youngsters as possible to be involved.

“I am inviting junior schools to organise their own competition to choose the best penalty taker they have to represent their school. Then at half time on the day of the big match we can find out who is the top penalty taker in the area.

“Any school wishing to get involved should get in touch with me by phone or email. This is a great opportunity for a youngster to bask in a little glory and a school to get some new equipment.’

Steve can be contacted by email on: steve@tjwnet.co.uk or mobile phone 01883-341747

So far, several top former international and league players have agreed to turn out on May 4, including Gillingham legend Andy Hessenthaler.

The team will be managed by the former England and Chelsea keeper Peter Bonetti and will include other ex-Chelsea players, strikers Kerry Dixon and Gary Chivers.

Spurs FA Cup winner Paul Allen, West Ham’s Bobby Barnes and Phil Stamp – a former England youth and Middlesbrough player – will also show off their skills.

The all -stars X1 will take on a Royal Engineers’ side wearing a replica kit from their 1875 FA Cup appearance.

Other entertainment before the match and a half-time includes military and civilian marching bands, a mass karate demonstration and a dog display team. The gates open at 1-30pm for a 3pm kick off.

Entrance to the match is £5 for adults and £3 for children and OAPs. Medway Messenger readers can claim a £1 discount by using the voucher on Page 25 of this Friday’s Medway Messenger.