SINGER Paul Smith has revealed he is “absolutely buzzing” about the prospect of becoming a winger when he pulls on his football boots to play on the Riverside’s hallowed in Sunday’s Gary Parkinson Benefit Match.

Front man for indie band Maximo Park, Billingham-born Smith has been named in the Ramsdens Celebrity XI line-up to face a team of former Boro stars at the Riverside this Sunday (4pm).

A lifelong Boro fan, Smith will line up alongside fellow celebrities including political aide Alastair Campbell, speedway star Gary Havelock, commentator Alastair Brownlee and Waterloo Road actors Ben Davies and Jack McMullen.

But Smith, whose Newcastle-based band have enjoyed chart success with hits such as ‘Apply Some Pressure’ and ‘Our Velocity’, says he particularly excited about facing some of his Boro heroes.

“I am absolutely buzzing about the game,” he said. “I never expected to be able to play on the hallowed turf against players who have always been heroes in my house. It’s going to be really exciting.

“I’m already quite nervous about the game. I had a game on Monday night to get warmed up. I play five-a-side when on the band is on tour, but that’s a bit different from out on a big pitch like the Riverside.

“I’ve had quite bad knees for a while now and I have suffered with a bad back since lifting a new amp up the stairs last year that was way too heavy, but I think I’m reasonably fit. Unfortunately, I’m attending a stag do in Manchester for the two days before the match so that won’t be ideal preparation.”

So what kind of player can Boro fans expect to see on Sunday? “Some might say I’m quite lightweight, but I’m the kind of guy that likes to take a player on - not always successfully!

“I used to play as a striker but I wouldn’t mind getting down the wing on Sunday. Wherever I play, I’m a little concerned that my friend Colin Cooper might give me a kick.”

Managed by Boro boss Tony Mowbray, the Ramsdens side will also include former footballers Gordon Armstrong, Gary Bennett, Martin Smith, Neil Wainwright, Peter Swan and David Eyres, together with The Northern Echo journalist Paul Fraser and Tyne-Tees TV reporters Andy Kerr and Simon O’Rourke.

Former Boro goalkeeper Marlon Beresford will also line up for the celebrities, who have also signed young Blackpool players Joe McDonald, Chris Kettings and Josh Roberts, who all played for Parkinson for the Tangerines’ youth team.

With Bruce Rioch as their manager, former players facing the celebrities will be: Stephen Pears, Kelham O’Hanlon, Colin Cooper, Curtis Fleming, Dean Gordon, Alan Kernaghan, Steve Vickers, Billy Ashcroft, Paul Kerr, Alan Moore, Mark Proctor, Graham Kavanagh, Neil Maddison, Willie Falconer, Stuart Ripley, Terry Cochrane, Bernie Slaven, John Hendrie, Dean Windass, Jaime Moreno, Brian Deane. Parkinson's son, Luke, is set to wear his dad’s No 2 shirt.

Other team-mates from the side that won back-to-back promotions in 1987 and 1988 will also be there to show their support on the day, including Boro boss Tony Mowbray, former England and Manchester United star Gary Pallister and Boro commentator Gary Gill.

The event will raise funds for Parkinson, who had a stroke last year and has been left with a condition called “Locked-in Syndrome”, which means he can only communicate through blinking his eyes.

* Kick-off at the Riverside this Sunday is at 4pm and tickets are still available priced £10 for adults and £1 for Under-16s.