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A group of young Winsford footballers are gearing up for the trip of a lifetime

Winsford over 3 Athletic JFC U12s side will be following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi and Neymar when they tour Barcelona later this month.

Twenty four youngsters from the Winsford and Over area will play two matches against sides from the Catalan region. They will also take in the Spanish city’s rich footballing history as they go on a tour of one of the most iconic stadiums in the world – Barcelona’s Nou Camp.

Winsford Over 3 FC, which will celebrate its 25th Anniversary in 2016, merged with the newly created Winsford Athletic JFC in April 2013. The club offers the opportunity for young people in the Winsford community to stay fit and active, whilst building confidence and meeting new people.

The driving force behind the trip is club secretary Tony Mitchell, who has been involved with grassroots football for over 24 years.

Tony has organised similar trips in the past to the likes of the Netherlands, Ireland, France and Scotland, and has seen the positive affect it has on young people.

And despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years ago, Tony’s enthusiasm has never waned. Despite having to take a backseat from day-to-day physical activity, Tony has been instrumental in helping to raise over £7,500 towards the cost of the tour.

Tony said: “We’ve got a brilliant bunch of players at the club and this is a dream come true for them. I am restricted due to my illness, but i aim to do all i can to help young kids from all backgrounds in the community.

“I am fortunate enough to have met and made friends with some superb people over the years, and their support has been instrumental in helping get the Barcelona trip off the ground.

“It has been a long-time ambition to organise a trip to Barcelona, so I’m delighted that it’s finally coming to fruition. The kids come from all different backgrounds, and the biggest success of all for me has been seeing them grow as individuals. This has been possible thanks to the brilliant people we have at this club.

“Not only will this trip see them grow and develop as footballers, but as young lads as well.”

And Tony paid special tribute to the parents of his players, and said the trip wouldn’t have been possible without their support.

He added: “The parents from our group have also been fantastic. They have made a lot of sacrifices to support this trip, both financially and in terms of the time and effort they put in to supporting this club.

“Since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, they have been brilliant. I can’t thank them enough for their support. I would also like to thank our U12s coach Colin Rose - his coaching is first class and has brought a lot of his knowledge to the kids from his professional days at Crewe Alexandra.”

The team has received grants and donations from the likes of Leighton Hospital Prostate Cancer Support Group, courtesy of Gary Steele MBE, Winsford Town Council, as well as donations from businesses such as Cavanagh Timber Winsford.

The trip has also received financial support from the Friends of Muir (FoM), a charitable trust set up by Muir Group Housing Association which supports projects that make a positive difference to the wider community.

Les Paterson, Chair of the Friends of Muir said:

“Everyone involved with the FoM was impressed by Tony’s passion and his desire to help young people living in Winsford. A lot of the people involved with the club are Muir residents, and we were more than happy to support what is an amazing opportunity for these young footballers.”