With the football season in full swing and with fans back in stadiums, for this week’s Bygones, we will be looking back at when Reading FC allowed several visually impaired children to join in on a training session with the club’s first-team.
It was April 2009, and the Royals were aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation to the Championship the previous May.
They were in the hunt for promotion but at the time, Steve Coppell’s men were in a rut of five games without a win.
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However, they put their first-time duties aside, as they welcomed 10 children from the Berkshire County Blind Society to enjoy a fun day of football.
Coppell, who is regarded as one of the club’s greatest-ever managers, led the session which saw several of the first-team players also take part.
Some of these players included the likes of Alex Pearce and Kevin Doyle, who have played international football for the Republic of Ireland, Malian international Kalifa Cissé and star-striker, Dave Kitson, who re-joined the club from Stoke City that January.
The day out was enjoyed by everyone involved, as the images showed the children, players and management staff all had smiles on their faces.
Amanda Barford, family support co-ordinator at the BCBS said back in April 2009: “Keeping fit is often an issue for blind and visually impaired children because at school, they are competing with their sighted peers and they lose confidence and feel they can’t do sports.
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“The 10 children we took to Hogwood Park [Reading’s training ground], all have severe diagnosed eye conditions, but we had a penalty shoot, and then a kickaround with the players, and Reading gave them each a goodie bag from the club which was wonderful of them.”
She added: “It’s important that these children are stimulated and that they feel included.”
Reading, unfortunately, were not promoted to the Premier League that season, as they lost the Championship play-off semi-finals to Burnley, who would eventually claim a place in the top-flight.
For more information regarding the work that the BCSC do, visit www.berkshirevision.org.uk.
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