Winners Collected Award At Peterborough Match
Aled Hughes and Sam Bayliss were presented with their Colin Bloomfield Award trophies at Shrewsbury Town’s 4-3 home defeat to Peterborough.
Earlier this month, Shrewsbury Town Football Club launched a sports writing competition in the name of former Journalist and Shrewsbury fan Colin Bloomfield, who lost his brave battle with cancer last April, on the same day as his beloved Shrewsbury Town clinched promotion back to League One.
There were many entries from all across Shropshire that the judges, including Shropshire Star’s Tim Nash and BBC Radio Shropshire’s Stuart Dunn, as well as Ian Whitfield of the Shrewsbury Town media department looked through.
These ranged from match reports to reflective historical moments in football but in the end, it was Aled, aged 17 and Sam, 15, who came out victorious in their respective age categories.
Aled, from Llandudno, is a big Shrewsbury Town fan and wrote an enthralling piece entitled ‘The Day that Shaped My Future’ and recalled the meeting between Shrewsbury Town and Everton in that historic FA Cup encounter in 2003.
Tim Nash said: “The passion and colour he brought was very intoxicating and made it a powerful piece to read,” whilst Stuart Dunn from BBC Radio Shropshire was equally impressed adding: “Aled came up with a lovely atmospheric piece capturing the mood perfectly of his first Gay Meadow experience as a young boy, Shrewsbury Town's epic FA Cup giant killing victory over Everton.”
Sam, from Minsterley, submitted an excellent piece on how football without fans is nothing.
Tim described it as: “Brave, innovative, inventive and a clever excursion too - not sure I've ever seen or read an analysis of the different crowd dynamics at a football ground in detail, so full marks for imagination - a possible feature writer in the making here.”
Simon Wilderspin, who was involved in the Award, says the competition was a great way to honour someone who meant so much to so many people.
“Colin was truly one in a million and while we’ve been going round schools handing out posters or speaking to people in the media about the competition, everyone had the same opinion of him – he was a lovely lad,” said Simon.
“The feedback we’ve had in terms of running this in honour of Colin has been very positive and the entries we received have been of a very high standard.
“Both Aled and Sam are huge Shrewsbury Town fans and they have both enjoyed a fantastic day behind-the-scenes at Shrewsbury Town versus Peterborough match and hopefully this will inspire them to perhaps forge a career in sports writing.”
Aled and Sam were presented with the Colin Bloomfield Award at half-time during Town’s final home game of the season, with Colin’s mother Alison Bloomfield and close friends Mike and Glyn Pryce presenting the trophies and Sam Bayliss, who lives in Minsterley was thrilled with his day at the Greenhous Meadow.
He said: “I really enjoyed the day. The prize was as good as it could have been. It was so cool to be live on radio and on the speakers at half-time.
“It was special to see Colin’s mother, and receiving the award was truly an honour. My favourite part of the day was probably learning all about, and seeing, the behind-the-scenes areas, though it was closely followed by being in the Press Box and meeting the players.
“It was truly memorable and an experience that I learnt a lot from and will never forget.”
Aled Hughes, who got to interview Larnell Cole after the match echoed Sam’s statement by adding; “Thank you Shrewsbury Town for such a fantastic day. I enjoyed myself and learned so much.
“I went into the day only imagining what goes on in a football club on matchday, but nothing prepared me for seeing first hand all the hard work that goes on behind-the-scenes.
“It was an honour meeting Colin’s mum and friends. He sounds an amazing man and I’m sad I never got to meet him.”
.click hereTo read Aled Hughes' thoughts on the day,
To read Sam Bayliss' report of the Peterborough match, click here.