Gateshead football team is preparing to represent the North East in Alicante, Spain in July. The young players are people with autism who learn life skills and gain confidence through football.
A lot of them have been referred to the Inspired Football Academy which is part of Gateshead Football Stadium's first-ever football team for the disabled.
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Director David Winship said: "Football motivates them and changes their lives by developing friendships and taking them out the house and exploring their surroundings. Any change is the worst thing in the world for someone with autism."
The ten players on the team are training non-stop. Rusty Melrose, 22, said: “I can’t wait to go to Alicante and play football, I just love playing football and the chance to play against teams like Valencia is amazing.
"Before I came to Inspired Support I was struggling in life. Now I am part of a group of similar people with similar struggles who just love football.”
Player Mark Urwin, 27, said: “Before Inspired Support, I had no purpose, I was stuck in my bedroom for years on my own. But now through the work Inspired have done with me I have developed my life and social skills and I am part of the team.
"To go to The Costa Blanca cup is going to be hard but to be able to play for a team and represent my local team Gateshead FC and Inspired Support makes me feel so proud. We want to bring the trophy home for the North East.”
Inspired Support is one of the UK’s innovative providers supporting people with autism spectrum conditions and people with learning disabilities.
David said: “We set Inspired Support up to change the world of support for people with autism and to give the North East a service to be proud of - 10 years later and we have exactly that and the customers love it. The Costa Blanca cup is one of many motivational opportunities that we create for the people we support.”
Coach Carl Morrison said: “I just love coaching this team at Gateshead FC Inspired Support. Taking them to the Costa Blanca Cup will be a big challenge but also a big honour. We have five hard months ahead to get the players in peak fitness, acclimatised and match ready.”
The football club is in need of a local company that would like to be the main sponsor. The organisation helps young people with disabilities in other fields outside of football too.
To learn more about Inspired Support, visit here . To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/europeandream
