The gaffer and players continue to support disability football
Shrewsbury Town manager Micky Mellon, along with Jim O'Brien and Gary Deegan, visited the Shrewsbury Sports Village on Monday night to meet the disability football groups.The groups, which are run by Shrewsbury Town in the Community, include Cerebral Palsy Football, Down’s Syndrome Football and Power-chair Football.
Micky went along and joined in with the football sessions with the children. The Scotsman believes it is important for them to share football with everyone.
He said: “This is something that the guys in the community do fantastically well. They get us interacting with the local community.”
“It is very important that everybody can have the opportunity to get involved with team games. If we can help in any way possible at Shrewsbury Town then we are very committed to do that. It is really inspirational to be able to come here and see how the kids enjoy the game we all love. Whether they are in wheelchairs or on crutches or whatever it is just fantastic to get involved.
“I think it is important that we get involved as much as possible and show our human side. Really it is about being involved and working with the local community and sharing the game that we love and trying to make it accessible to everyone.
“We do this because we want to. We really believe in it and want to be involved in it. We get so much enjoyment out of it and we know the kids really well now and it is great to see them develop as young people. My stomach is hurting with laughter because they are great characters who make you smile and it is a really good moment for us to be involved in.”
One of the children involved was nine-year-old Aled Owen. His father Richard Owen is delighted with the programme and the benefits it gives his son.
He said: “He really enjoys coming to the sports hall and playing power-chair football. He is football mad so to be able to play with the manager and players is fantastic for him.
“He was asking about who was coming to play with him and he was getting really excited about it so that’s fantastic that he has this to look forward to.”
Jim O’Brien is the player’s community ambassador and he also took part in the games in the sports hall. The midfielder believes it is the squad’s responsibility to help out a community which supports them.
He said: “It is a nice feeling to be the ambassador. When you come and see what it means to the kids at events like today it makes it worthwhile.”
“These kids give their time to us by coming to watch us on Saturday’s so it is important that we can come and give some time back. It means a lot to them if the players can take an hour out their day and spend some time doing things they enjoy.
“These families have been through a lot so it will go a long way if they can feel part of the club. Everyone can take part in football no matter what shape or size. There are children here in chairs and on crutches and it is quite humbling seeing them taking part. I have a kid myself so when you see kids like that it is very humbling and you see how lucky you are.
“The kids really get on with it and give you banter and you can see the smiles on their faces so it is a great feeling for us. They put me through my paces there. It was a tough session and it was really enjoyable. The coaches are well drilled so the sessions are really good.
“I wasn’t expected so many kids and coaches to be here. You can tell the coaches have done their work and there is a good variety of sessions so there is something for everyone.”