Disabled footballers' delight at town bus parade

A football team which won a gold medal at the Special Olympics have been honoured with a surprise open-top bus parade in their home town.

The event was organised in Scunthorpe after Bottesford Town FC's Lions side won gold at the GB National Summer Games in Birmingham in August.

Players travelled through the town on Friday waving to supporters after a campaign which saw the Lions win all seven of their matches.

"I've never seen them so happy," said Sue, whose son Jake was part of the gold-winning squad.

The celebrations marked the latest chapter in a journey that began about a decade earlier, when a small group of footballers with intellectual disabilities came together through their shared love of the game.

The journey to Birmingham was made possible by months of fundraising which brought in a total of £12,595, exceeding the club's original target.

Bottesford Town FC took two teams, with the Lions topping Division Three after winning all seven of their matches. The Hawks also impressed, winning bronze.

Jake, 20, said he felt "happy" and "really proud" to have achieved his aim of winning gold.

His best friend, Mason, 25, said the tournament had been "exciting" and described Jake as a "rock solid defender".

Mason scored eight goals during the Games, including a hat-trick, and said he enjoyed the opening ceremony as well as the celebrations that followed.

The tour bus made available to them was the same vehicle used by Hull City in May to celebrate returning to the Premier League.

"We support Hull City so we were excited it was the Hull City bus," said Mason.

"People were waving. We felt the excitement."

Head coach Mick described the Games as "an absolutely amazing experience".

"They embraced everything. They went for it full pelt and loved every minute of it, even the rain," he said.

"The morale has gone through the roof."

For Sue, the success of both her sons, Jake and Aiden, made the achievement particularly special.

Aiden, who broke his leg while at the Games, is now working towards a Level 1 coaching qualification and has applied to volunteer with Special Olympics GB. He also raised £900 for the club through a 15,000ft (4,572m) skydive.

"It's everything you want when your child is born with a disability," she said.

"To see him living the life he is living and achieve something like this is just the proudest moment."

Club secretary and welfare officer Stephen, who has supported the squad since its early days, said he had watched the players "blossom" and seeing them board the open-top bus was a moment he would never forget.

"I was filling up, honestly. Everybody had tears in their eyes because of what they've achieved," he said.

As interest in the team continues to grow, the club is now looking for additional coaches to support more players.

While the bus parade marked the end of one successful summer, some members of the squad are already thinking about their next challenge, with ambitions ranging from coaching qualifications to one day reaching the Special Olympics World Games.

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