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Manchester City fan gets Manchester United badge tattoo after raising over £10,000 to help his sick son

Mark Pinder has raised the money to donate to Duchenne Now after his 12-year-old son was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Jack de Menezes

Friday 31 July 2015 16:08 BST

Manchester City fan Mark Pinder has had a tattoo done of United's badge after raising money for his sick son Kirk (Facebook)

A Manchester City fan has done the unthinkable and had the Manchester United badge tattooed on his leg – after raising £10,000 for charity to help his sick son.

38-year-old City supporter Mark Pinder promises to have their arch-rivals permanently inked on his leg should he reach the figure, with the Manchester community uniting to help him reach his target.

Mr Pinder’s 12-year-old son, Kirk, suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, an incurable condition that causes the body’s muscles to deteriorate. With Kirk confined to a wheelchair, the youngster cannot raise his arms and will require steel rods inserted into his spine in order to keep it straight.

The Worst Tattoos in football

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1/14The Worst Tattoos in football

The Worst Tattoos in football

Daniele de Rossi

Midfield dynamo Daniele De Rossi kindly alerted opposition players of his sharp-tackling reputation by brandishing a bright yellow warning tattoo that looks more like a slipping hazard sign than anything else (perhaps Arjen Robben should book himself in with the same artist). Sadly, however, the ink is on his calf and gets hidden by his socks during games. As a result, the joke is somewhat wasted.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Mauricio Pinilla

Why would the Chile striker want to re-live this moment, every single day for the rest of his life? In the 119th minute of the World Cup last-16, Pinilla smashed ha shot against the crossbar against hosts Brazil. Had it gone in, Chile would have made the quarter-final against Colombia. The inscriptions reads: 'One centimetre from glory'.

The Worst Tattoos in football

Wayne Rooney

England striker Wayne Rooney has the title of the Stereophonics third studio album etched on his arm, although the tattoo has also been interpreted as a humorous personal reflection of his own academic failure. Rooney famously didn’t achieve any GCSE’s, but given his £300,000 a week contract he probably doesn’t care too much.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Mario Balotelli

The Italian troublemaker had a quote from the Mongolian war-machine Genghis Khan written on his chest to celebrate his first goal of the 2012/13 season for Manchester City. It says “If you had not committed great sins/ God would not have sent/ A punishment like me upon you”. While the behaviour of the Italian could indeed be seen as a “punishment” to those around him, comparing himself to one of the greatest war leaders in history seems excessive… yet completely in-character.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

James Rodriguez

Arguably the player of the tournament so far, James Rodriguez’s sweet left foot has no doubt been inspired by the strange image of Jesus on his lower leg. With five goals and two assists already, the Colombian winger will be praying that his religious icon can smite Brazil in the quarter-finals and propel Columbia to the title.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Arturo Vidal

The midfield ace, strongly linked to Manchester United this summer after his impressive performances at the World Cup, has a selection of body art that is equally as eye catching and somewhat perplexing. He a tattoo on his arm showing his skin tearing away to reveal a Spiderman costume beneath, which confusingly inverts the whole idea of a superhero disguise. Unless Peter Parker is dressed as Spiderman dressed as Arturo Vidal that is.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Lukas Podolski

The German striker probably rues the day he got a large tattoo of the Cologne crest on his bicep before making a big-money move to Arsenal soon after. Especially since he has hardly been a hit for the Gunner’s since joining two years ago. If Robin van Persie did the same before his move to Manchester United he would never see the end of it, nor will Podolski, as he is now stuck with it for life.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Raul Meireles

Tattoos generally carry some sort of emotional meaning; be it to celebrate the memory of a loved one or commemorate an important date (as without a constant bodily reminder, we would of course forget important life events). With that in mind, the symbolic dragon etched across the whole of Raul Meireles’ back represents the six happy years of his life he spent at Porto who are nicknamed “The Dragons”. This seems a bit excessive given his Champions League victory with Chelsea only merited the word “LOVE” written across his right knuckle with the “O” assuming the Champions League logo.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Nigel de Jong

The former Manchester City hard-man has shown his soft side with an intricate butterfly effect pattern that wouldn’t look out of place on a church floor. The design itself is rather tasteful, but the way it has spread like wildfire from his chest onto his neck and hands makes you wonder where it will stop. If rumours linking him to Manchester United are to be believed, expect a more ornately decorated Nigel De Jong than the one who left City two years ago.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Lionel Messi

He may be the world’s best with the ball at his feet but the Argentine’s tattoo choices leave much to be desired. The portrait on his back of Julia, his mother, is probably the last thing his wife would want to see if he rolls over in bed. Also, the picture of his son’s handprints on his left foot is frankly bizarre. It looks like something is reaching out of the ground and is trying to drag him to hell.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Lionel Messi (again)

The world's most precious left leg features a football, a sword, some wings and the No 10. Out of ideas that day, Lionel?

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Wesley Sneijder

No-one knows whether the disembodied head on Wesley Sneijder’s ribcage is actually Michael Jackson or not, but whether intentional or otherwise, it really is an incredibly likeness. The Dutch international scored a vital goal against Mexico to seal a place for Holland in the quarter finals which keeps alive the possibility of Sneijder’s Champions League tattoo being joined by a World Cup one in between the “Thriller” singer.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Sir Alex Ferguson(ish)

A Manchester United fan didn't put enough preparation, research and attention at school into this tattoo, as he emerged from the parlour with 'Sir Alex Feguson' permanently inked on his forearm.

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The Worst Tattoos in football

Carlos Tevez

The former Manchester United and City striker already had a full sleeve on his right arm, but added to that by covering the whole of his back with various figures, with a sun near the top. The work, done by famed artist Piotrek Taton, is impressive up close, but looks like a giant black smudge from afar.

Tiwtter

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Mr Pinder revealed how he reacted to receiving the news of his son’s illness, and how he believed it was about time he did something to help raise awareness and money for treatment.

“All you can do is watch your child deteriorate in front of you,” said Mr Pinder.

“When he was diagnosed I buried my head in the sand for a couple of years, but I thought it was about time I did something.”

Having decided to donate all the money to the Duchenne Now charity, Mr Pinder added: “I’m buzzing now I’ve done it.”

Despite the fierce world of rivalries, the City fan has demonstrated how more important matters can unite a city divided by its football allegiances. City have helped raise part of the money by selling a Ricky Hatton-signed boxing glove as well as a book signed by the former light-welterweight and welterweight boxing world champion.

The lengths some will go to to help those with Duchenne ! Mark an avid Manchester City fan and father who's son is...
Posted by Duchenne Now on Thursday, 30 July 2015

Having already had a City badged tattooed on his arm, Mr Pinder now has a United one to go with it, with ST Ink’s Steve Thompson offering to do it for free all for the good cause.

“I’m quite happy with the tattoo now because it’s a good memory to remind me of all the money I raised,” Mr Pinder added. “Although I thought it would be a big thing before I’m not bothered about it now.

“I’m so proud to have made £10,000 and I’ve loved the whole fundraising experience. It’s been crazy to see how the community rallied together and it was humbling for people who don’t know me to take an interest and donate to the cause.

“It’s been fantastic and the support I have had off people has been brilliant. The whole process has also helped raise awareness and inform people about the condition which is what I set out to do.”

Support Mark and Kirk through their Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/Mark-Pinder7/ or text DNOW60 to 70070.

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