Burton Albion and England's inspiring community star ⭐
Burton community coach Freddy Lamb on disability football, role models and England's World Cup run
The video focuses on Burton Community Trust's disability football programme and community coach Freddy Lamb's journey from participant to England's World Cup squad. Participants and colleagues say the sessions create belonging, confidence and visible role models, while Freddy stresses persistence, hard work and belief, and hopes England can challenge for a medal.
- It is normal to feel scared in a new environment, and sticking with it makes you more comfortable and confident. — He cried in his mum's arms when he first started; she told him to keep going and be brave, and he is glad he stayed with it.
- Disability football has been life-changing for me. — He has been involved in disability football for 15 years, always loved football and sport, and it has given him opportunities with Burton and England.
- I made it my personal mission to give the next generation the football opportunities I did not have. — When he played more than 15 years ago there was almost nothing, making it hard to find and enjoy football.
- Having Freddy and others on the England talent pathway matters because other kids see that if he can do it, they can too. — They have been allowed to run a talent hub, the first step into the England pathway, and Freddy and others are on or have been on that path.
- The sessions are engaging and help him grow not only as a footballer but also in personality, confidence, communication and teamwork. — He has been coming for four or five years since about 10 or 11, was nervous at first because he was younger, but has improved every year.
- Freddy is humble, caring and wants what is best for the community. — The speaker has known him for 12 years, shared ups and downs, and was proud when Freddy was named in the squad.
- Being at the World Cup in America is the pinnacle and shows that all the hard work is worth it. — He has been around the England pathway for ten years with challenges and positives, and has now reached the World Cup stage.
- England hope to medal, reach the final or semi-finals, and training is the most competitive it has been. — The standard in training is very high and senior players say it is the most competitive; he calls the World Cup a lifelong achievement.
- Freddy is really inspiring; every CP goalkeeper wants to play for England and I hope I can reach his level. — Freddy is playing for England, which shows what is possible.
- Anyone can achieve their goals through hard work, determination and never stopping believing. — He has had ups and downs and setbacks, and wants to inspire others through his example.
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Transcript
When I first started, I cried in my mom's arms. After the first week I came, she pushed me through. She said, "Keep going. You don't know where it's going to lead you to. Keep trying. Keep being brave. It's natural to feel that way. But the more times you go on it, the more comfortable you'll get. The more confident you'll get." I knew I had the disability. I knew I had Sopia. I knew I had a hearing deafness. But I was I wasn't around that environment. So, it's just the overwhel overwhelming thoughts of that environment just kind of shocked me and um obviously I'm glad I stuck at it and and look where I am now. [music] [music] My name is Freddy Lamb. I'm a community coach [music] at Burton. uh in community trust. >> Well then you come then >> I've been involved in um disability football [music] for the last 15 years. It's been life changing for me. It started out when I was uh 5 years old playing [music] grass roots. Um and then yeah I always had a passion for football. Always had a passion for sport. Got involved in different sports and obviously football has been the main one. >> Cover cover. There you go. There you go. There you go. >> Ball's gone. Ball's gone. had so many opportunities with England, with Burton, with other community trucks. It's got me to the place they are gone. >> The session uh it's mainly for Sopy um athletes or people with acquired brain injuries or stroke. Um again, it's it's all age groups at the is what we got at the minute predominantly aimed at the um adult adult CP side. Uh we play in the national soy league. Um there's at the minute there's 12 teams in the league including Chelsea, Norwich, Tottenham which is what this session is mainly designed for um to get obviously try and improve the results in that in that league. I first started here at Burton we were averaging five to six here every every week. Now we've obviously got a consistent what is it 12 13 of us here. Our goal is obviously ever increase that ever grow that number >> um to give competition for us lot as a whole and us as a team >> initiative started because I used to play on the initiative at a previous community trust um and due to lack of funding it had to stop and when I got the job at Burton I asked management if we could look into it >> [music] >> um and knowing the plays that I do from the again from the previous projects I felt there was a strong core group of four or five who we could build off and then from there we've picked up players who are have been on the path with previously who know each other and it's built from that to where it is today. When I was playing 15 plus years ago there was nothing. It was literally just a pan session once a month if you're lucky. Not having them opportunities made it quite difficult to find football and to enjoy football. Um, so I made it a personal mission of mine to give the opportunities that we were having when we were younger so that the next generation get the opportunities. >> It's so important for these sessions to carry on not only for individualized um impairment but as a pan as a whole um mainly with sharing light to light like disability so you can bounce off with people a bit more knowing that you're not the only one in your in your corner. When I was 18 months old, my dad saw me respond to a doorbell. Um, and then had the hearing test and found out I wasn't permanently deaf, so all their sign language lessons were wasted. Um, but yeah, so it's given me obviously wide range of experiences. You have to be with people of hard hearing hearing aids. You got to be a lot more clear, a lot more concise with what you're saying. Um, I'll read a lot. So, I've learned that as well to try and be in the line of sight with people and and go from there. >> We'll do a team talk before we get to do the laps. >> Will you? >> Yes. >> The one time going to coach this year? >> I will co I will I'll do a team. The >> one time you coach this year. >> Yeah, that's fine. From the sky. Sure. >> Yeah. Not an issue. >> Right. If we play one way, Andy, where should you be going now? >> We've grown in size. is we've gone from being a squad of just eight to having a squad of 15 adult players and five littleies. We are kind of in that gap between grassroots at the very bottom and then the first step boys and girls or will come towards getting a bit of experience with Pacific get into a talent talent hub from there for into regional international into England England squads. We've recently been given permission to run a talent hub which is the first step into the England path which Freddy and a few of the others are now on or have been on um which is a big thing for us because they literally see [music] Freddy see the other guys and go actually if he can do it so can I. Uh I recently got diagnosed when I was 15 and I didn't realize the opportunities that CB football actually had. So I thought I'd give it a go at Burton and see what I could do. coming for about four or five years now since I was about 11 10ish. I really love coming down to these sessions. They're so engaging opportunities to learn, to grow, become a better footballer. When I first came down, I'm I was like, I'm really nervous because I'm like, [music] I'm 11. These lots are all like they're all like 15, 16. I'm like, I don't know what I think of this. And then [music] every year it's got better and better. I really see myself coming growing as a footballer, becoming better, becoming stronger. But I've also feel like I've grew in personality skills, confidence, communication, teamwork. >> It's create an environment, create a like money space for everyone to play. Uh, and just enjoy the sessions and enjoy the time. You got the parents as well. Builds a real community, not just them, not just us as a participants and other players. But again, it's given us a belonging. It's given us a chance. It's um, yeah, it's a really good community here. We built my lads coming. >> I've known Freddy 12 years I think it's now. Freddy is lovely. He really is is a a humble, caring guy. Um who wants what's best for the community. Knowing Freddy as long as I have, we've gone through a lot of ups and downs. You know, the jubilation of playing in Euros as a junior, missing out of the Euro last time at home, and then when he got got the call to say he was in the squad, obviously I was truly proud proud of him. As I said, I've been around the England pathway in the England environment for the last 10 years. Started out in a development squads, any national emerging talent programs. Ups and downs, a lot of challenges, a lot of positives as well. But yeah, having that be at the top of the World Cup in America of all places. It's a uh it's a pinnacle as you say and it's a really good uh really good achievement for me and shows all the hard work's worth it. England had a try nations at St. George's Park against Spain and Scotland. At the end of the uh the last game, their coach came over to me and said, "You got really good news and I'm set for the World Cup." Uh luckily my mom was in the stands watching the game. Um but she had to shoot off straight after the game, so ran it straight away. Took her about eight eight times to pick up the phone. Um but yeah, I told her straight away and she was obviously delighted. Train's been an amazing standard. Really competitive. So, the senior loves saying it's the most competitive it's been. We are hoping to medal. Uh we're hoping to get [music] to the final, get to semi-finals, and see wherever it takes us. It's a lifelong achievement. Yeah, it's it's amazing. >> He's really inspiring. [music] He's playing for England. That's what every CP keeper wants to do, and I hope I can reach the highest that he's reached. >> Having someone at the the top end, the elite level, he's choosing the [music] light. He's choosing the the direction. So, yeah, it's it's really really important >> having that role model aspect. I want to do my best to inspire these. Anyone can achieve it. It's not just me. It's hard work. A lot of determination goes into it. Obviously, you have your ups and downs. You have your setbacks. But never stop believing and and everyone can achieve what they want to achieve.