BURTON Albion Community Trust’s Cerebral Palsy football team recently won the CP Challenge Cup tournament, with goalkeeper Freddie Lamb celebrating a senior England call up too.
Hosted at Warwick University, the CP Challenge Cup tournament was hosted by Southwest CP and Surrey CP. Cerebral Palsy Football is 7-a-side football for people with Cerebral Palsy, or acquired brain injuries, played with the majority of the same rules as football however the different is there are no offsides, the pitch and goals are slightly smaller than a full-size pitch.
The team progressed through the group stage and saw off Brighton & Hove Albion CP team on penalties in the semis to reach the final. A nervy final ensued against Bristol City CP, but it was the Brewers who edged the game 1-0 to emerge tournament victors.
The day marked two victories for Burton Albion Celebral Palsy as Goalkeeper Freddie Lamb, who also works for the Community Trust as a Disability Community Coach, received a deserved call up to the England national Cerebral Palsy men's development team for their World Cup warm-up match against Scotland. The shotstopper has previously represented the under-21 side but has received his first senior call up. In a wet and windy affair, Freddie's England emerged 3-0 victors, with a solid clean sheet earned too.
Freddie Lamb said: “My personal highlight through being selected to play for England CP Squad has to be winning a gold medal back in 2017 at the European Para Youth Games in Genoa, Italy where I gained my very first England cap from. An honour to be selected to represent my country”.
BACT Disability Coordinator Charles Sketchley said: "CP football is growing constantly. It's brilliant to see so many teams from across the country fighting it out in the right spirit. To take home the trophy is also a huge bonus.
"Freddie applies himself brilliantly on every session he works at and also trains extremely hard too. His senior call up is the least he deserves, and hopefully it is the first of many."
For more information on BACT’S Cerebral Palsy Football Team visit:
CEREBRAL PALSY FOOTBALL | Burton Albion Community Trust
