FC United help Salford Grassroots FC with trip to Oxford
Salford Grassroots FC is a team based in Salford comprised of mental health service users, ex-service users and carers. This club has been a community based team since 1999. FC United of Manchester have been working with this group of players for over two years and provide coaching sessions, advice on diet and health and support for the club.
Salford Grassroots FC participated in the EASI Cup 2013 in Oxford on the 24th to 26th June. The EASI Cup is Europe’s foremost mental health football tournament and Salford Grassroots FC having been competing in it since 2005. FC United helped facilitate the trip to Oxford.
There were 18 teams participating, 9 from mainland Europe and 9 from England. There were teams from Spain, Germany, Austria and Slovakia. The teams were split in to two groups of 9, where they played each other, with the top two teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The games were 12 minute, 6 aside games.
The Salford had a squad of 7 players, the smallest squad in the tournament by far, with most teams having squads of 12 players or more.
The tournament ran from 10am to 7pm, on Tuesday 25th June, a very hot day in Oxford. The lack of substitutes weighed heavily on the Salford players, especially in the intense heat. They finished second in their group to Everton FC, the eventual winners, and went forward to the semi-finals, where they lost to a Spanish team, with a squad of 19 players.
The Salford players were remarkable in their commitment, hard work and endeavour, but in the later stages of the competition they ran out of steam. They feel with a larger squad they could have challenged for the title with Everton FC in the final. They eventually finished 4th, a successful outcome considering the challenges they had to meet.
They stayed at the YHA Oxford, and enjoyed their two night stay. Next year the EASI Cup will be played in Germany or Italy, and the Salford lads are planning their campaign to win it, with the help and support of FC United of Manchester.
Salford Grassroots FC participated in the EASI Cup 2013 in Oxford on the 24th to 26th June. The EASI Cup is Europe’s foremost mental health football tournament and Salford Grassroots FC having been competing in it since 2005. FC United helped facilitate the trip to Oxford.
There were 18 teams participating, 9 from mainland Europe and 9 from England. There were teams from Spain, Germany, Austria and Slovakia. The teams were split in to two groups of 9, where they played each other, with the top two teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The games were 12 minute, 6 aside games.
The Salford had a squad of 7 players, the smallest squad in the tournament by far, with most teams having squads of 12 players or more.
The tournament ran from 10am to 7pm, on Tuesday 25th June, a very hot day in Oxford. The lack of substitutes weighed heavily on the Salford players, especially in the intense heat. They finished second in their group to Everton FC, the eventual winners, and went forward to the semi-finals, where they lost to a Spanish team, with a squad of 19 players.
The Salford players were remarkable in their commitment, hard work and endeavour, but in the later stages of the competition they ran out of steam. They feel with a larger squad they could have challenged for the title with Everton FC in the final. They eventually finished 4th, a successful outcome considering the challenges they had to meet.
They stayed at the YHA Oxford, and enjoyed their two night stay. Next year the EASI Cup will be played in Germany or Italy, and the Salford lads are planning their campaign to win it, with the help and support of FC United of Manchester.
First Posted ~ 15:58 Tue 23 Jul 2013
News ID ~ 4985
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021