Kop hero Ian Rush has thrown his support behind cash-strapped Accrington Stanley in an attempt to save the League Two club. Rush will be the guest of honour at a sportsman's dinner at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Accrington on October 29 as the club continues its fundraising attempts to pay a tax bill.

"For local supporters it would be terrible for them (if the club went out of business) so I think anything we can do, we want to try to help as much as we can," he told the Lancashire Telegraph.

"The local community and the supporters have got to try to get round it but they also need other help and if we can do anything at Liverpool, hopefully it will go a long way to try to retain Football League status."

The former Wales international, synonymous with Stanley since the famous 1980s milk advert, added: "I was aware of the milk advert before it was screened because I got asked if they could use my name. Originally it wasn't going to be Accrington Stanley, it was Arsenal!"