Former Wanderers midfielder speaks about Turkish earthquake

Erhun Oztumer, who played for the Whites between 2018 and 2019, was playing in an away fixture when the earthquake struck in Adana, where he lives.

Now the footballer has made a heartfelt appeal to support the people who are suffering as a result.

His plea comes as local firefighters help with the international search and rescue effort, in which they have saved the lives of a number of people, including reuniting a mother with her child.

Erhun is urging people to donate what they can to help relief funds following quakes that are known to have killed nearly 40,000 people in Turkey and Syria.

The 31-year-old midfielder currently plays for Adana Demirspor in Turkey's top division and he played 19 times for Bolton Wanderers.

When the earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria last week, including Erhun’s apartment in Adana, he had been travelling for an away fixture in Ümraniyespor, which was subsequently cancelled by the Turkish Football Federartion.

Speaking to The Bolton News, he said the news had caught the players completely by surprise.

“We’re lucky we had an away game that day," he said. "But I was getting phone calls left, right and centre about the earthquake and we could not believe it."

The footballer is currently unable to return to his apartment in the quake-hit zone of Adana.

Erhun said: “A lot of the boys and coaches had family in Adana, so we were all scared and waiting to hear from everyone to see if they were okay.

“It was a massive shock to us all and everyone was awake at the time as we were preparing for the match.

“We were waiting for the federation to cancel the game.”

The team flew back to see their families and move them out of the city into another part of Turkey.

Luckily, Erhun’s family live in London, but often visit Turkey to see him.

He said: “Some of the players had to visit hospitals for different reasons.

“But at the club itself, nobody was hurt physically, so we are very grateful.

“It’s upsetting, Adana is not a big place so you have probably been on this street, gone into that café, and now it’s not there.

“You just think, what’s going to happen now and how are they going to rebuild everything?”

The death toll in Turkey and Syria continues to rise as teams of rescuers continue to pull victims out of the rubble, with thousands of others displaced by the destruction.

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Erhun said: “I just feel sorry for the people that have been affected, losing family and homes.

“I don’t know if it  is safe to go back to my building, but the important thing is the people who need help right now.

"We have been doing things to raise awareness and it's so important to us.

"I have seen the news and countries like England have been helping so much and it's amazing.

"If you can donate, please do, because families need our help now."

Many fundraising pages are now open for donations, and Erhun is encouraging people to donate.