FORMER Wrexham players are bracing themselves to strip for charity in a unique rendition of the ‘Full Monty’.

The one-time Reds footballers have ignored the passage of time and any aches and pains to put themselves through the paces during a month of rehearsals ready for their big night at Maesgwyn Hall in Wrexham tonight.

Defensive giant Bob Scott has been joined by Nick Hencher of the Wrexham Former Players’ Association, John Muldoon, Ossie Jones and Steve Scott.

The quintet have added Steve Corcoran and Owen Smith to make up the numbers for the dance troupe whose famous finale in the Academy award-winning film is a well-loved stage play favourite.

All the cash raised from the show will go to cancer charities, Anthony Nolan Trust and Marie Curie.

The fundraiser was first mooted by Nick, whose cousin the entertainer Joe Longthorne has battled cancer, and he soon found some of his drinking buddies were just as keen to take their clothes off.

Sam Lewis, events manager at Maesgwyn, said: “They were all sat in here one night thinking how they could raise some money for cancer charities when one of the bar staff came up with the idea of a doing a ‘Full Monty’.

“To be fair to them they have been busy rehearsing for several weeks now as they want to put on as good a show as possible.

“Our target is £2,000 and we have sold a lot of tickets so far and there is also a raffle and auction. We’ve got signed Wrexham shirts and a ball as well as some Joey Jones memorabilia.”

Locally-based choreographer Mark Rogers has been putting the lads through their moves and Bob Scott said they have been practicing for hours, all in aid of very good causes.

Bob, 65, who now works in sales for Wrexham Lager, was known in his playing days for Wrexham, Crewe, Rochdale and Hartlepool as a no-holds barred centre-half enforcer. But he reveals he will be holding back a bit tonight more than just to retain his modesty.

Robert Carlyle and co famously removed their hats at the end of Tom Jones’ version of ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’.

But house rules forbid complete nudity at the Maesgwyn, which is a masonic hall, and Bob explained: “That is why we are calling it the ‘Full Monty-ish’ because we don’t want to go the whole hog as well as it being for charity.

“We will go down to our hats and once we do the curtain will come down as we remove them to keep everyone guessing.”