Two Everton in the Community footballers who are set to represent England at the Amputee Football World Cup in early October got the chance to discuss their call-ups with Blues boss Frank Lampard and Three Lions stars Jordan Pickford and Conor Coady last week.
Striker Liam Burbridge and midfielder Jamie Oakey are among SIX Everton amputee players to have been included in England’s 14-player squad for the tournament in Turkey.
Defenders Martin Heald and Sean Jackson, midfielder Rhyce Ramsden, and England captain David Tweed, a forward, have also been selected after impressing for the Toffees.
Burbridge and Oakey were special guests at Everton’s Premier League match against West Ham United prior to the international break and were presented on the pitch at half-time in recognition of their achievement.
The players later met current England pair Pickford and Coady, before outlining their World Cup aspirations to Three Lions legend Lampard.
Burbridge, who started playing amputee football only two years ago and credits Everton in the Community coaches for his rapid rise to national team level, said: “It was really amazing to meet Frank and the players and to go on the pitch at half-time. To have so many fans welcoming us and clapping us was a bit surreal, really.
“It still doesn't feel real that I'll be representing my country at a World Cup and, until I'm stood there wearing the shirt in Turkey, I'll just have to keep pinching myself.”
Burbridge and Oakey were joined at the West Ham game by Everton in the Community Disability Manager and England Amputee Football Association (EAFA) chairperson Steve Johnson and the EAFA’s Head of Technical Coaching Scott Rogers.
Johnson, a three-time World Cup-winning amputee footballer who has overseen Everton in the Community’s award-winning disability programme for more than two decades, said: "We're all really proud of the six players. As an Evertonian, to see that many players representing us at a World Cup is fantastic. The lads work and train so hard and put so much effort in - and it's an unbelievable achievement for them.
“As the EAFA, we want to kick on now, raise the profile of the game and make people value disabled footballers and their abilities. We've still got a way to go but we've also come a long way in the right direction and these players will hope to continue that at the tournament."
Lampard, who collected 106 England caps, added: “It was fantastic to meet Jamie and Liam and hear how much they are looking forward to representing Everton and their country at the World Cup.
“It’s a fantastic achievement and I could see what it meant to them.
“Everyone at Everton and Everton in the Community should be proud of all the players and I wish them the very best of luck in Turkey.”
The EAFA operates as a charity and, while England’s players will be supported with one of Europe’s leading coaching and support set-ups, they have had to fundraise to cover the cost of their travel to Turkey and are still encouraging people to contribute via a Go Fund Me page.
England’s first game is against USA on Saturday (1 October). The Three Lions then take on Indonesia the following day, before completing their group fixtures against Argentina on Monday.
Should they progress to the quarter-finals, England’s matches from the last eight onwards will be played at the stadiums of leading Turkish club sides, with the homes of Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray among the possible venues.
The 2017 European Championship final between Turkey and England was played at Besiktas’ Vodafone Park in front of a crowd of more than 41,000 spectators.
To learn more about Everton in the Community’s disability programme, visit evertonfc.com/community.
You can keep tabs on England’s progress at the Amputee Football World Cup on Twitter by following @amputeefootball
