‘WITHOUT £35K OUR WORLD CUP DREAM AT RISK’
ENGLAND’S amputee footie team need £35,000 to make their World Cup dreams come true.
Their hopes of victory at the tournament later this year are at risk because of a cash shortfall.
Head coach Owen Coyle, 21, said: “We don’t receive support from any national Government body. Our only supporters are our sponsors Simply Business. They’ve been incredibly generous and supportive and have donated £35,000 this year alone.
“But for this year’s programme we need around £70,000. That is for training weekends, pre-tournaments, kits. So we’ve got a shortfall of about £35,000 which the players and staff are trying to fundraise.
“If we can’t find that money then it makes it much more difficult to participate in all the activities we have planned throughout the year.
“And we’d potentially have to take a smaller staff and playing squad to the World Cup. Hopefully that won’t be the case. But it’s a massive challenge to raise the money year in, year out.”
The World Amputee Football Federation’s World Cup will take place in Mexico in November. Owen, of Blackpool, said: “We got knocked out in the quarter-finals in the 2014 tournament, so we’re relishing the chance to go back and right a few wrongs.
“We finished second at the European Championships. So we’re hopeful we can do well in November.”
In amputee football the players have lost a leg and goalkeepers have lost an arm.
Owen said: “We’ve got players who lost limbs through traffic accidents, through cancer or meningitis and others who have lost a limb in the military. The social aspect of playing helps with their confidence and it gives them a focus in their lives. And they all feel very fortunate to represent their country.”
The team is calling on Daily Star Sunday readers to help them win the tournament. Owen added: “If there is anyone out there who wants to support the team in any way they can, we’d be so grateful.
“If people can’t help financially then people can still help us by spreading the word about amputee football on social media.”