UNSUNG HERO

Mike Alden received the award live on stage at the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year ceremony

Image credit: BBC / James Stack

As Bristol-based football volunteer Mike Alden wins the BBC Sports Personality Unsung Hero award –nominated alongside fellow Bristolian, Becca Todd, we take a closer look at the brilliant work they’re doing in the community...

Football volunteer, Mike Alden, was recently honoured with the 2022 BBC Sports Personality Unsung Hero award for his unwavering commitment to Bristol-based club, Park Knowle Football Club. The award celebrates the best volunteers in sport whose work are not only making a remarkable difference to their communities across the country but a substantive yet unrecognised contribution to sport. Mike set up Park FC 10 years ago to provide a club for all ages, including more than 120 children, people with disabilities and adults.

After receiving the award from Denise Lewis and Jonnie Peacock live on stage at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which also saw England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead win the prestigious award, Mike opened with: “Wow. I didn't expect that,” adding: “I think everyone should be included in everything. With our youth teams we’ve got kids as young as seven. You never know, one day one of them might be sat here.”

Mike had previously said it was “such a shock” to be nominated. “I’ve never had anything like this happen to me before, so it was a bit hard to take in,” he said. “I don’t do it for recognition, I do it because I love doing it. It’s all been very overwhelming, but I’m very grateful to have been nominated.”

Mike’s journey to this moment is nothing short of extraordinary. At four-years-old, he was diagnosed with brittle bone disease, a lifelong genetic disorder that causes your bones to break easily. As a child, however, and despite his disease, Mike was football mad, joining local teams and playing throughout his teens and into his adulthood, but a bad ankle break sadly ended his career at 35.

Eager to get back on the pitch, Mike started a club for local children and, in 2011, was approached by Park Knowle, a large community centre in Knowle West, to start a bigger club.

A decade later, Park FC boasts an enviable cabinet of silverware. But besides the trophies, the real magic is that Park FC now has 11 teams that play regularly – four boy’s teams, two girl’s teams, a veteran’s team and five disability teams. An estimated 250 children and young adults have come through the club, many of them becoming team managers themselves.

As far as Mike is concerned: “Nobody gets turned away. If you want to join the club, you get to play.”

The club still stands today thanks to Mike, his wife Linda and his entire family, who dedicate over 100 hours of their spare time every week. Every penny that is raised from player subs, the clubhouse café and small local grants, goes back into running the club.

“The best thing in the world is seeing what it means to the kids,” Mike said. “Just getting involved in something positive helps them feel part of a team – that never fails to make me happy and makes all the work worthwhile. Especially the players with disabilities, we have five disability teams now and they get so much from being included. As someone with disability myself, this brings me particular joy.

“It’s not just football, it’s much more important than that, the players have something to aim for and feel a part of.”

Mike was one of eight volunteers shortlisted for the accolade, standing alongside fellow Bristol-based footballer and women's club leader, Becca Todd.

Becca, from Henbury, runs Team Brave, an inclusive women's football club at Windmill Hill City Farm in south Bristol. Speaking to the BBC, she said she was “emotional” and “really touched” to have been nominated. In the interview, Becca said she decided to set up the group after seeing “lots of younger girls were really low in confidence, doubting themselves and had low self esteem” while she was coaching in the community.

Mike, with his wife Linda, receiving the finalist award after being shortlisted for the prize in early December

It’s not just football, it’s much more important than that –the players have something to aim for and feel a part of

Team Brave – a UK and Chilean based non-profit organisation –aims to harness the power of sport and outdoor activities to enhance self-esteem, improve both mental and physical health and help people to lead happier lives. Team Brave UK offers free, fun, friendly football sessions and a variety of other sports and fitness opportunities and mentoring services.

Both Becca and Mike have received a huge amount of support from the people of Bristol. In a post on Twitter, Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees wrote: “Congratulations to Becca Todd from Team Brave and Mike Alden from [Park Knowle FC] for being shortlisted for [BBC SPOTY’s] Unsung Hero award – Bristol is so proud of you both.”

As for the future of the club, Mike said: “My hope is that it just continues and grows. My whole family help with the running of the club and I couldn’t do it without them. We’re busy trying to raise some funds to make improvements to the disability and girl’s teams changing facilities, which will allow us to accommodate away teams and play more matches. I’d like my legacy to be a club that runs successfully for generations to come.” n