Port Vale honoured the achievements of local multi-cultural footballers from Tunstall, Cobridge, Shelton and Longton at a trophy presentation ceremony held at the club on Thursday evening.
The Trophies on offer for those who were successful
The presentation evening was organised by Vale's Valiants Against Racism campaign in conjunction with the Shelton based COFS group. Vale players Lee Matthews and Michael Walsh handed out the trophies along with the British light-welterweight Boxing champion Gary'The Bodysnatcher' Reid.
Lee Matthews, Gary Reid and Michael Walsh
The event honoured young footballers from mainly ethnic minority backgrounds who had taken part in the COFS multi-cultural 5-a-side football league held at StaffordshireUniversity over the summer. The league was won by Shelton United.
At the close of the season the teams also took part in a special one-off knock-out tournament sponsored by the Valiants Against Racism campaign following a successful funding bid to the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) group. The winners of the Valiants Against Racism Community Shield were Real Macot from the Normacot area of the city who beat a Tunstall-based team into the runners-up spot.
Lee Matthews, Michael Walsh and the players from Real Macot together with Gary Reid
Chairman of VAR, Steve Bradbury, commented:
'VAR and Port Vale are very proud to host this event and reward some very talented young footballers from BME communities. Its shows that the club is keen to engage with and offer support for those communities who are sometimes excluded from football and to encourage them to get involved in the activities of the club'.
Vice Chair of VAR Hughie Lawrence, Gary Reid, Lee Matthews, Michael Walsh, Chair of VAR Steve Bradbury
VAR will also be hosting its annual anti-racist match-day event on Saturday October 15th at the match against BradfordCity and VAR volunteers will be giving away posters, magazines and stickers to all fans at the turnstiles.
Bradbury continues:
'The anti-racist match-day forms part of a Europe-wide week of anti-racist action in football. Its great that Port Vale are leading the way in this respect and establishing themselves as a real community club.
Photography Gerard Austin
