From the Kop to Cryfield: Warwick Men’s first team to take on Liverpool Academy as part of PAIS Event
On Wednseday 29 April, The University of Warwick Men’s Football first team face their biggest challenge to date as they prepare to square off against one of the biggest youth teams in the world. The Cryfield pitches may be a far cry from Anfield but our very own blue army will take on The Liverpool Academy Under 18’s within the hallowed walls of Warwick. To put things into perspective, our boys will be going toe, toe, stride for stride and man to man with a squad full of potential future multi-millionaires. They could be man marking the next Raheem Sterling, maybe even nutmegging the next Steven Gerrard. Liverpool are a side with the arguably the richest history in English football. The Reds have amassed 18 League Titles and 5 European Cups to the raucous chorus of “You’ll never walk alone.” Although their Under 18’s academy side currently sit in 7th in the Academy Premier League they still carry with them the air of prestige and history associated with Anfield.
The match, announced over the Warwick Men’s Football team’s Facebook page on March 5 instantly attracted the attention of on campus sports enthusiasts. It’s not very often you get to see your friends and colleagues you bump into in the library; maybe give a quick, awkward smile on the way out of a lecture theatre take on world class opposition. Men’s first team captain Alex Roberts said “The team are all incredibly excited to have the opportunity to play against Liverpool, and test themselves against players who will go on to play at the highest level”.
To put things into perspective, our boys will be going toe, toe, stride for stride and man to man with a squad full of potential future multi-millionaires
This is about more than just the football however. The blades of grass on the Cryfield pitches barely scratch the surface. The match is just a small part of the Inaugural ‘Pathways to Plan B’ event hosted by the PAIS department as part of the Widening Participation and Outreach programme. The initiative is a two day event beginning on 28 April. Pathways to plan B is aimed at combating post football unemployment, an issue often brushed under the carpet amidst the glitz and the glamour of the sport. This is a chance for the Academy players to gain an in depth look at University life and present academia as an avenue for them to go down in the future.
Delivering the keynote speech to open proceedings at the event will be the PAIS department’s resident football fanatic Dr David Webber. An ardent Liverpool fan, Webber’s research into the cultural political economy of English Football helped pave the way for the event to take place. Less than 24 hours after watching his beloved Liverpool play at Wembley, Webber explained to Boar Sport the importance of the event for both Liverpool and The PAIS Department. He said we hope that this will really open the doors for players who won’t make it and also players who will make it. If you don’t make it as a footballer then there is a pathway into education.” Activities over the course of the two days will include a quiz, campus tour and breakout sessions run by PAIS staff, in which the players will be allowed to ask questions about different areas of politics. Webber explained “They’ll get a taste of what campus life is like. It’s geared towards them really; it’s trying to give them a full flavour of the Warwick experience without going down to Kelsey’s!”
This is a chance for the Academy players to gain an in depth look at University life and present academia as an avenue for them to go down in the future
As one would expect a great deal of hard work and planning has gone into making sure the event runs smoothly. Everything from the player’s special dietary requirements, dressing rooms and living quarters have been taken into account by PhD candidate and Widening Participation Officer Shahnaz Akhter. Over the last few months she has worked tirelessly to make sure nothing is left to chance. Dr Webber revealed it was Akhter who first proposed the idea. He explained how she got the ball rolling by sending one of his academic papers to the Liverpool County FA before opening negotiations with Liverpool Football Club. Webber said “she sent through a few phone calls and it turned out there was a lot of interest in it. Liverpool have been really encouraging with this. We genuinely went there thinking we’re going to have to push this and give them a very hard sell but they really wanted to get on board with it, it was the easiest meeting in the world.”
We genuinely went there thinking we’re going to have to push this and give them a very hard sell but they really wanted to get on board with it, it was the easiest meeting in the world.
Closing out a spirited interview, Webber was optimistic the event could be the start of a series of similar events, with PAIS working in conjunction with more top flight teams. He said “It is the first of what would hopefully be a long term relationship with both Liverpool and various organisations and hopefully other clubs will get on board so we can make it bigger and better each and every year.”
Catch the action on 29 April 2015. 3pm kick off: Cryfield.
The game will also be live streamed on the big screen in the piazza.
Dr Webber will also be delivering a public lecture entitled Politics and Power in the People’s Game at 7:30pm in R.0.21 in the Ramphal Building.
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