Tough Tony trains lads, Crosby Herald, Feb 18

FITNESS coach Tony Rudge stares coldly as the players get ready for training.

"What have you got in your bag of pain for us this week, Tony?" shouts one of them as an eight hour game of football awaits them.

The Seaforth man, who is a wing manager at Altcourse prison, is a former Liverpool City Council lifeguard.

He has already put the players through a three week "boot camp" and their training programme for the next few weeks look even more gruelling.

Tony helped design the programme which consists of matches lasting 16 hours with 10K runs beforehand.

Tony, 47, said: "I’m here to get the lads as fit as possible so they can complete the task.

"We give them advice like how to conserve energy.

"We’ve told the players trying to take three opponents on and then shooting will knacker themselves out.

"It is better to pass to a team mate who is in space and if they can't pass then they can create some space. It's working much better like this."

He added: "We’ve also given them advice on what to eat and told them that they will be need as much sleep as possible.

"We take them on runs before the matches which is what they need to get them in shape."

Tony had been liaising with Jamie Carragher and Leighton Baines who have both pledged to manage the teams on the big day, which attempts to break the Guinness world record for the longest continuous five-a-side match.

Tony added: "Jamie was wanting to know what we had in store for the lads when he came down to see them. It gave the lads a huge lift.It’s great to have him and Leighton involved because it gives the lads lots of inspiration.

"We’ll do what we can for them and the rest is up to the lads."

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Semi-pro proud to lead the way, Crosby Herald, Feb 18

CROSBY man Michael Atherton is a member of the Liverpool squad that aims to smash the 5-a-side world record attempt.

Michael, aka ‘Athy’, is arguably the best player in the Reds team, having played under Stevie Highway at Liverpool FC’s academy.

The 27-year-old went on to play semi professional for numerous clubs across the north west.

He now works for Shaw Trust, a charity which supports disadvantaged people.

Michael said: "I wanted to take part in the record bid because I naturally like football and I wanted to help the community because we’re doing it for charity.

"We have to raise £500 by the end of February. I work for a charity myself and I know how important it is for charities to get funding."

The Liverpool University Sociology and Psychology graduate added: "I work with people from 16 to 19 who are struggling with education, employment and training. The job is rewarding because I’m giving something back to society.

"I’m looking forward to hopefully beating the five-a-side world record. I haven't played football for two years so it was a challenge for me to get back in shape.

"At first it was demanding but it’s now a lot easier.

"The boot camp was really hard because I had not been training for a while. But I was getting stronger each time and you start to get use to so much exercise. I’m not as bad the next day now."

Michael has changed his diet and has give up drinking for the challenge.

But something he has no control over is his 18-month-old daughter’s sleeping pattern.

He said: "I didn’t get much sleep because Lilia was keeping me up all the time. But I’ve started to manage it and I’m getting more sleep now which is vital to achieve the record of 31 hours.

"That said, having no sleep with Lilia might actually work out to be a positive thing for the world record because I’m used to staying awake through the night."

To sponsor Michael go to www.justgiving.com/MichaelAtherton

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Paul Lawrenson is the glue of the Blue team

AT 46, Paul Lawrenson is the veteran of a young Everton squad which has an average age of just under 26.

But Paul is far from ‘past it’ and he is viewed as the ingredient that holds the team of Toffees together.

And the warehouse worker, who once played semi professional in the north west counties league for Maghull and Knowsley, is the player that the younger players go to for advice.

Fitness coach Tony Rudge said: "Paul is great. He’s a good player and what we also like about him is that his maturity rubs off on the younger Everton lads as well."

Paul is determined to succeed in achieving the 31 hour record to prove that he still has the ability.

He said: "I want to achieve the record. Obviously for myself, but also because the community is getting something out of it.

"I have three kids who are all very sporty so the next couple of months is now time for me.

"My wife and kids are all behind me and my kids are even getting their mates to sponsor me as well."

He added: "Being involved in this event is fantastic and getting advice from Leighton Baines is brilliant.

"Especially because he is a player who plays in my favourite position which is left back.

"The Everton team were even given a great lift when Jamie Carragher down to the sports centre to meet the lads."

To sponsor Paul go to www.justgiving.com/PaulLawrenson46

HEROES from Merseyside’s two Premier League clubs joined fans ahead of this Saturday’s derby.

Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher and Everton’s Leighton Baines have picked two sides of Crosby men to represent their clubs and compete against each other later this year.

And the teams are being sponsored by Reeds Rains estate agents, which has opened branches on Cooks Road, Crosby, and the corner of South Road, Waterloo.

The stars were at Goodison Park on Monday night to give the lucky 20 fans their kits for the big game after they were selected from more than 80 hopefuls, who initially attended a three- week "boot camp".

Their aim now is to break 31 hours and achieve the Guinness world record for the longest continuous game of five-a-side football.

Carragher said: "I think it’s great that the two clubs are coming together in derby week. It shows that we can be united and it’s about time that we came together a bit more.

"I’m here just to give the players plenty of encouragement. It’s a unique game and it’ll be great that this city will have the record and that three local charities will benefit from all the money that’s raised."

The players will raise the money on their own and donate it to The 23 Foundation, The Everton Foundation and Radio City’s Cash For Kids.

Defender Baines added: "There has been a lot of banter between the two sides, which is always great to see in the run-up to derby day. I think it will be a great achievement for players to beat the record and get themselves in the Guinness Book of Records. We’ll give them as much support as we can."

The idea for the game originated when Kopites Michael McMillan and Shaun Moran watched footage of the 1984 Milk Cup final between the city’s two sides and saw the unity between the two clubs.

Shaun, 27, said: "I’m really looking forward to it now. The boot camp was tough and the next few weeks will be tougher, but the lads will be ready for it."

Blues fan Paul Lawrenson, added: "The team is in good shape and I’m sure we’ll give the Reds a great game."

Reed Rains’ regional operations manager Richard Sealey said: "We have started branches in Crosby and Waterloo and we have another eight branches across Merseyside.

"We want to become part of the local community and there is no better way to do this than sponsoring such a unique game.

"We are a local estate agents employing local people and we are providing a high quality service to the community."

The game will start on Saturday, March 27 at St Mary’s College Sports Centre, Crosby.

 

MEN WHO MADE THE CUT

THE 20 men who made it into the two Mersey teams were named at Goodison Park.

To make the cut the players had to show how well they play football, as well as survive tough runs on Crosby beach in Arctic conditions and successfully complete a ‘bleep running test’ which is used to put Royal Marines through their pacesand show how well they can play football.

Also taken into account was how likely the players could raise the cash which will be donated to the three local charities.

The players will now have to sustain the training which will consist of playing football for four, eight, 10 and 16 hour sessions up until the big day in March.

And prior to each session they will have to complete a 10k run.

The Liverpool team is: Michael Bennett, Peter Dawson, Michael Atherton, Thomas Parker, Andrew Taylor, Eddie Ashton, Mark Harwood, Michael McMillan, Shaun Moran and Darrell Adams.

And the Everton team is:

Alex Clarke, Stephen Hogan, Gary Robertson, Paul Lawrenson, Ali Tarleton, Asa Gray, Dave Mason, Robert Berry, John Brady and Andy McNally.

THE auction deadline for places passed at midnight last night and we can reveal how much was offered by the top three bidders for each team.

The top three Liverpool bids are £1,250, £1,050 and £925. While the top three Everton bids are £1,500, £1,500 and £1,135.

There were also a further 20 bids between £500 and £750 to play for the Reds and 21 bids between £500 and £700 to play for the Blues.

Our organisers are very grateful for the large response in the auctioned squad places and would like to thank all those who took part.

Those who were not successful in the auction are still welcome to attend the sessions on the January 24 and 31 between 9am and 12midday at St Mary`s College Sports Centre, Crosby.