Football / KNowle West
Bristol football coach shortlisted for major sporting award
A community football coach in Bristol is one of just eight people across the country to be shortlisted for a major sporting award.
Mike Alden, who runs a football club in Knowle West, has been named as a finalist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero award.
The Park Knowle FC chairman says it would be “absolutely amazing” to win the award, which celebrates volunteers in sport who are making a difference in their communities.
is needed now More than ever
The 56-year-old was nominated by the local Friends of Redcatch Park group, who say “what he does changes lives”.
The Park Knowle FC chairman Mike Alden is one of just eight people to be shortlisted for the Unsung Hero award – photo: Friends of Redcatch Park
Mike, who has run football clubs in Knowle West for 25 years, set up The Park FC at The Park Centre in 2012.
The club has a number of youth teams, as well as five disability teams, two girls’ teams and a veterans’ team.
Mike, who is from Knowle West, says: “Knowle is classed as underprivileged with high unemployment, but we’re trying to prove that there’s more to Knowle than that.”
Mike was born with brittle bone disease and has broken nearly every bone in his body.
He added: “It’s horrible to live with. I’ve had days and days in bed where I can’t get out because of the pain. But I do what I can, when I can.”
The football coach, pictured with his wife Linda, suffers from brittle bone disease – photo: Friends of Redcatch Park
Mike says it was a “massive shock” to hear he had been nominated and then shortlisted for the Unsung Hero award.
He said: “None of us are in it for anything for ourselves, it’s all just for the community.”
He runs the club with the help of his wife Linda, who says he deserves to win the award.
She said: “I hope he gets some recognition for what he does put into the community, because I don’t think he realises how much time he puts into it.”
Sian Ellis-Thomas, who is part of the Friends of Redcatch Park group which nominated Mike, adds that they are incredibly proud of him.
She added: “The Park FC is a truly amazing community football club that’s been bringing purpose and changing lives in Knowle West for over a decade.”
Mike has run football clubs in Knowle West for 25 years, becoming the chairman of The Park FC when it was set up in 2012 – photo: Charlie Watts
Mike is also not the only Bristolian to be shortlisted for the Unsung Hero award.
Becca Todd, who set up Team Brave, an inclusive women’s football club at Windmill Hill City Farm, has also been named as a finalist.
The winner will be announced at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards on Wednesday, December 21 from 6.45pm on BBC One.
Charlie Watts is reporting on Knowle West as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main photo: Charlie Watts
Read next:
- Community centre moves into new multi-million pound premises
- Bristol’s young heroes honoured at awards ceremony
- Football as a force for good
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