PLAYERS and managers at Liverpool’s two big football clubs used this weekend's Merseyside derby to remember Rhys Jones and make a stand against gun crime in the city.

Yesterday would have been Rhys’s 13th birthday, and both Liverpool FC and Everton FC paid tribute to the youngster who was shot on his way home from football practice.

The killing galvanised the city sparking the Liverpool Unites campaign, and yesterday's match at Goodison Park marked the charity’s first anniversary.

Liverpool Unites also sponsored the game and providing the branded shirts both sides will warm up in, while David Moyes and Rafael Benitez and ground staff wore purple ribbons.

Everton manager Moyes said: “Derby games are great for any city. I’m from Glasgow and know how important they can be.

“What we were looking for was a fantastic atmosphere because that’s what derby games are all about.”

About 2,000 purple-branded balloons were released at Goodison Park and the charity announced to fans that it has reached its £100,000 target to build the Rhys Jones Community Centre.

Unprecedented levels of support from the people of Merseyside saw thousands pour in from events such as the Liverpool Unites concert and run for Rhys.

A cheque was handed over by a symbolic purple ribbon character to the memorial fund before kick- off. The purple represents the combination of the blue and red of the two Merseyside clubs. The charity is also fundraising to give grants to other local children’s charities and community groups to help to support and sustain the valuable work that they do for young people.

Since it was launched one year ago, hundreds of thousands of ribbons and wristbands have been sported by people wanting to make their voice heard and call for change.

And the fundraising has been non-stop, from local community tea mornings and fairs to the massively successful Concert for Rhys at the ECHO arena and the more recent Run for Rhys around Croxteth Park.

Now that money will go to helping build a permanent memorial to the little Everton fan who was shot and killed walking home from football practice on August 22, 2007.

Plans are in place to build a community centre on the fields behind the Fir Tree pub, in Croxteth Park, where Rhys was playing moments before he was killed.

The proposed centre could cost in excess of £2m to build and the contribution this weekend sees the fund stand at more than half-a-million pounds.