STEVEN NAISMITH hopes to play for his country tomorrow night.

He is humbled by those who are prepared to die for it.

"I was recovering from surgery to a knee injury when I was at Rangers and I received a letter from a soldier on the front line saying how gutted he was for me," said the Everton player yesterday. "He was putting his life on the line for his country in Afghanistan yet he had time to commiserate with me."

This letter proved the spark that has led to Naismith, 27, coming up with a scheme to issue starter packs to injured war heroes to help them begin a new life.

"They do the hardest job in the world but they sometimes come back to little support," said the Scottish internationalist. "I do not do this because I want to be seen doing it because I could not care less what people think about me. But football has a power and I can use it to help fund and publicise these charities. That's enough for me."

Naismith is working with Glasgow's Helping Heroes, Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft industries and City Building to provide practical help for those he says "return from the front line with injuries and challenges they face for the rest of their lives".

He was joined at the launch of the initiative by Kevin Lee, a Para who was injured on his upper body by a machine-gun in Afghanistan, but who now works full-time with City Building, Jason Cowan, who was also injured in Afghanistan last year, but who is now an apprentice joiner, and Lawrence Johnston, a reservist, who had carried out many tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and 2008.

Mr Johnston, who also works with City Building, is a squadron sergeant with a support unit of the Royal Engineers. His brother, Jimmy, was killed in Afghanistan in 2008. Mr Johnston went back to the war zone in 2008. "It was about closure for me. I went gladly," he said.

He praised Naismith for his work in promoting the initiative that will see injured veterans helped back into training and employment and provided with starter packs for new homes.

The former Rangers player, who signed for Everton last year, also funds a Christmas dinner for the homeless in Glasgow. He said: "I enjoyed being involved in charity especially when I can see there is a difference being made."

He admitted with a smile he was in the line of fire yesterday when the former soldiers who supported Rangers "slaughtered" him for leaving the Ibrox club.

He added: "Football speaks to those who love it. It is great that something that is so little for me to do can go a long way just because I play football. The audience that notice a player though mainstream media and social media is massive."

He said of the letter-writing soldier who served in 3 Scots Battle Group: "He came to Murray Park when he was back home and I met him and had a chat. He's just a mad Rangers fan. I found it incredible that this guy's away fighting for the country - and he's thinking about me going for a knee operation.

"They are the proper heroes. We are footballers bringing entertainment value to the world and that's it. But these guys have a real job, doing real stuff that makes a big difference," said Naismith, who returned to the Scotland training camp after the news conference to prepare for tomorrow night's match against the USA at Hampden.

The local hero faces another 90 minutes in the phoney war of sport but with the knowledge that he is helping others reach more significant goals.