News / KNowle West
Bristol football coach named BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero
A football coach from Bristol with brittle bone disease has been named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero.
Mike Alden, chairman of The Park Knowle FC in Knowle West, received the award during a live ceremony in Salford on Wednesday evening.
Accepting the award from Olympians Denise Lewis and Jonnie Peacock, Mike said: “Wow – I didn’t expect to get that.
is needed now More than ever
“We pride ourselves on our disability side of sport. I think everybody should be included in everything. We got 40 players with so many different ranges of disabilities, and we manage to cater for all of them.”
The Park Knowle FC chairman Mike Alden, who has broken nearly every bone in his body due to his brittle bone disease, has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero award – photo: Charlie Watts
Mlike, who is from Knowle West, has run football clubs in the area for 25 years.
In 2012, he set up The Park FC at The Park Centre – where 120 players aged from seven to 15 play every week.
The 56-year-old runs the club with help from his wife Linda, who watched on emotionally as he was presented with his award at the ceremony presented by Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott.
He fought off competition from seven other finalists, which included fellow Bristolian Becca Todd of Team Brave – an inclusive women’s football club at Windmill Hill City Farm.
The Unsung Hero award celebrates volunteers who make a positive impact in their community by enabling participation in grassroots sports.
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: BBC
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