Winning start for new Ambers side

Cheshunt have teamed up with the Special Olympics East Herts team to form a new side who won a trophy in their first outing wearing the Ryman North club’s amber and black colours.

The new team - Cheshunt Special Olympics East Herts (Cheshunt SOEH) got off to a winning start on Sunday in the LOASS Unified Tournament in Chingford, pictured.

The team, for players with an intellectual disability, competes in the Herts FA Inclusive League and also operates a unified side that brings together players of all intellectual abilities.

In the past two years the SOEH side has played in various tournaments across the country including the 2013 National Games in Bath. It has now been officially affiliated to the Ambers, who along with local care service RoCCs, are also sponsoring Cheshunt SOEH’s new kit.

The Ambers are now planning to host an inclusive tournament in 2014 and Chairman Dean Williamson said: "I’m delighted that the SOEH football team is a part of the club. We want to encourage people of all ages and ability to play and enjoy football.

With our planned new training facilities and artificial pitch our vision is to grow the club for the benefit of everyone in the community and hopefully Cheshunt SOEH is the start of things to come."

SOEH’s Maria Walker said: "We always have a great time and come away smiling win, lose or draw as we love playing. To win the tournament was fantastic and we are very proud to be a part of Cheshunt Football Club. As our local team we go to Cheshunt every Saturday to watch home games and everyone at the club always makes us feel welcome.

"Being affiliated with Cheshunt FC will give our team a place to meet and socialise and will increase the support for our team as well as awareness of inclusive football. None of this would be possible without the hard work of our volunteers.

"They include the manager and coach Clark Presland and Jim Sherwood, as well as Unified Partners Ryan Gissing, Mitchell Presland, Freddie Sherwood, Josh Farquharson, Ben Hopkins and Younes and Karim Bihi.

"I would also like to thank Neil Ward at SOEH, Dan Slaughter at the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation and Ken Headington at the Herts FA for their help and advice in setting up the team."

With work starting on new state-of-the-art new facilities at Theobalds Lane, Cheshunt SOEH are currently training at Grundy Park every Thursday and say the sessions to train or play are open to all. For more information visit www.cheshuntfc.com