MP tries to solve player's plight
Thursday, 19th October 2000.
HAVERHILL'S MP Richard Spring has stepped in to help the plight of young footballers in the town.
Mr Spring, a former shadow sports spokesman, has written to St Edmundsbury Borough Council asking it to review its decision not to provide the £41,000 grant needed to keep the Haverhill Football School open.
He has also written to the Football Association seeking its help and has contacted Sport England asking if it could offer help on how Haverhill United's Under 16 team could get funding to pay for a £500 new kit.
Mr Spring was responding to an approach from Gordon Cox, whose son Bradley, 15, is a member of the Haverhill United team which is managed by his older son Stuart.
"Many young people in Haverhill want to be involved in football, inspired by what they see happening in our excellent national league system.
"I feel it is important to support and encourage football at the grass roots level.
"Having joined the panel of St Edmundsbury's new football strategy earlier in the year, I was immensely disappointed to learn that we are to lose the football school so soon, while Bury is to retain its," Mr Spring said.
Mr Cox said he felt if West Suffolk College could take over the Bury scheme successfully it should be possible for someone to take over the Haverhill school.
He hoped it might be possible for Haverhill Sixth Form to help.
"It seems a shame for it to go, there are a lot of talented youngsters in the town," Mr Cox said.
Steve Palframan, director of leisure services for St Edmundsbury, said they had only planned to get the school up and running and it could only continue if another source of funding could be found.
Mr Spring, a former shadow sports spokesman, has written to St Edmundsbury Borough Council asking it to review its decision not to provide the £41,000 grant needed to keep the Haverhill Football School open.
He has also written to the Football Association seeking its help and has contacted Sport England asking if it could offer help on how Haverhill United's Under 16 team could get funding to pay for a £500 new kit.
Mr Spring was responding to an approach from Gordon Cox, whose son Bradley, 15, is a member of the Haverhill United team which is managed by his older son Stuart.
"Many young people in Haverhill want to be involved in football, inspired by what they see happening in our excellent national league system.
"I feel it is important to support and encourage football at the grass roots level.
"Having joined the panel of St Edmundsbury's new football strategy earlier in the year, I was immensely disappointed to learn that we are to lose the football school so soon, while Bury is to retain its," Mr Spring said.
Mr Cox said he felt if West Suffolk College could take over the Bury scheme successfully it should be possible for someone to take over the Haverhill school.
He hoped it might be possible for Haverhill Sixth Form to help.
"It seems a shame for it to go, there are a lot of talented youngsters in the town," Mr Cox said.
Steve Palframan, director of leisure services for St Edmundsbury, said they had only planned to get the school up and running and it could only continue if another source of funding could be found.
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