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Football legends in community cup
showdown
Having guided his club from obscurity to
the Premiership, Wigan Athletic Chairman Dave Whelan clearly knows a
thing or two about what makes a good football manager. Now he’s all set
to have another go at managing a side himself.
This weekend, Whelan will once again take charge of a Greater Manchester
Police side in a match against young people from Ashton-in-Makerfield.
The match is being organised for a second successive year by PC John
Mackey of the Hindley Neighbourhood Policing Team with support from
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, Greater Manchester Police and the
Ashton and Bryn Township Community Safety Group.
The idea behind the match is to show how community solidarity in Ashton
and Bryn is harnessed by sport. Last year the police claimed victory
with a dramatic 5-4 win, a result the Ashton Youth Team are keen to
overturn this time out. The youth side will be managed this year by
Everton FC Hall of Fame legend and Ashton resident Duncan McKenzie.
McKenzie said: “When PC John Mackey contacted me about this match, I
thought it was a great idea. I’ve been involved in football all my life,
and using football to break down social barriers is something that I’m
very keen to see happening. I know that the lads have been doing some
training and are keen to overturn last year’s last-minute defeat and I’m
really looking forward to a good game of football.”
The Ashton Youth Team will be made up of young people who have taken
part in weekly multi-sports sessions delivered by Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust’s Sports Development Unit in Ashton and Bryn. The
activities, supported by Wigan Council, local councillors and the
police, have been successful in helping to tackle anti-social behaviour
in the area.
In 2007, Wigan Sports Development delivered 239 hours of activities in
Ashton and Bryn to over 100 young people aged 8 to 16. Over 12,000 young
people took part in Sports Development activity sessions across the
borough throughout the year.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Community Sports Development Manager
Chris Essex Crosby said: “Opportunities for young people to go head to
head with police often have a much more negative slant, but the respect
gained by both sides during this match will be invaluable in developing
relations between both parties. PC John Mackey has been the driving
force behind this year’s match and he must take a great deal of credit
for the behind the scenes organisation of the event.”
The Sports Development team currently organise free of charge community
sports sessions for young people in Ashton & Bryn Township on Mondays
from 6-8pm at Grange Park, Bryn and on Wednesdays from 6-8pm at Jubilee
Park in Ashton. For further information contact the Sports Development
Unit on (01942) 404982.
The Ashton Community Cup will be held at Robin Park Arena, Wigan this
Sunday (June 15th). Kick off is at 1.30pm. Entry is free for under 16s
and £1 for adults. The match is sponsored by MYL Security, Travis
Perkins, Roseberry Tavern (Mad Jacks) Ltd and SportLine Ltd.
PC John Mackey of the Hindley Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "I would
just like to thank Duncan McKenzie and Dave Whelan for once again
supporting this event. We hope that it will help to improve relations
between police and youths in the area, just as it did last year."
-ends-
Notes to editors
• Press are invited to photograph the Ashton Community Cup from 1pm on
Sunday (June 15th).
Further information
• For further information contact Kennedy Stewart, Wigan Youth
Information Team Press Officer at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on
(01942) 486927.
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