Blues Provide Local School With Ultimate Goodison Surprise

Everton Women’s Issy Hobson and Aurora Galli visited Everton in the Community’s campus in L4 to take part in a football session with a girls’ team from a local primary school which is also a partner school of the charity’s Premier League Primary Stars programme.

The girls are Events and Competitions participants on the charity’s PLPS programme and, as part of this, have reached the finals of EitC’s annual PLPS Under-11 girls’ tournament. If successful, they will then represent EitC at the Premier League Primary Stars National Girls Football Tournament.

Lifelong Evertonian Hobson told evertonfc.com: “It was great to visit the campus and see the impact that Everton in the Community has.

“It takes me back to when I was a young kid dreaming of playing in the blue of Everton in front of the Goodison crowd. To see the smiles on faces throughout the session was special, and who knows, we could have inspired the next generation of Everton players!”

Everton’s All Together Now campaign actively promotes equality, inclusivity and diversity in girls’ football and celebrates grassroots teams including this Under-11 girls’ team, highlighting that football is truly inclusive and accessible for everyone.

The PLPS Events and Competitions programme is inclusive and open to both mainstream and SEN schools. EitC offers a range of competition levels from participation to competitive sport to ensure all children have the opportunity to represent their schools.

Italy midfielder Galli added: “It was amazing to surprise the children and see them so happy. First, we discussed our inspirations and aims inside a classroom setting, and then we headed outside for a quick kick-about with the girls.

“It was great to see them so enthusiastic and happy. That is a credit to the work that Everton in the Community do. We handed out tickets to Friday’s game at Goodison Park against Brighton, where they will walk out as mascots with us.”

Tickets for the WSL clash (7pm GMT) can be purchased here.