FORMER Middlesbrough legend George Smith will put on his blue suede shoes for a charity night inspired by two friends battling life-threatening illnesses.

Mr Smith, who transferred from Portsmouth to Middlesbrough in 1969 for a then recordbreaking £50,000, is hosting the event on behalf of his football coaching academy.

His 50 proteges are to be presented with awards.

In addition, money will be raised for the organisations caring for Karlin Jones, 18, who has an inoperable brain tumour, and Liz Horrigan, 51, living with pancreatic cancer.

Mr Smith, who went on to play for Birmingham City and became youth team manager at Queen's Park Rangers, set up his academy 15 years ago.

He said: "Liz's son, Darren, who was at my academy, played at Birmingham City, and Karlin's 15-year-old brother, Conna, is having a three-week trial with a club in July."

Mr Smith can boast Boro player Lee Cattermole and Wigan's Hartlepool-born player Michael Brown as former pupils at his academy.

The charity night, to be held on Sunday, June 22, at the Marton Hotel and Country Club, will feature Elvis impersonator Niall Southall and singer Dave Capri, Ms Horrigan's husband.

Other highlights will include an auction, raffle and question and answer session with local football celebrities.

The money raised will be split between the Royal Victoria Infirmary teenage cancer ward, in Newcastle, Ward 24 at Newcastle General Hospital, the cancer holistic centre at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, the James Cook patients' fund and south Tees mental health charity, Stamp Revisited.

Ms Horrigan, whose father, Paddy Nash, played in goal for Middlesbrough for 11 years, said she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after a routine scan.

Following chemotherapy, she will start aggressive radiotherapy in August.

Ms Horrigan said: "I am scared to death, but very positive about the future.

"I am very much into self-healing - I am not relying on other people, but I'm trying to make myself better."

Karlin, 18, is studying GCSEs at Stockton Sixth Form College and will start his A-Levels in September.

He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2003 and on his 18th birthday was admitted to hospital.

He has undergone radio and chemotherapy but has been told the tumour is inoperable.

He said: "At the moment, I take each day as it comes. I want to become a social worker so I can make a difference to other peoples lives."