England legend calls on men to sign up for national charity cup
23 November 2009
Former England footballer, Teddy Sheringham, is calling on men across the country to sign up and compete in the first annual Keep Your Eye on the Ball Charity Cup, a nationwide, 5-a-side football tournament raising money for Everyman, the nation’s male cancer charity.
The tournament, which is hosted by Goals Soccer Centres, kicks off on Sunday 29th November and will feature Champions League style heats at each of the 33 Goals centres across the UK.
The winners from each branch will then go on to compete for the £1000 prize money, and the chance to be crowned national champions, in the final at Star City, Birmingham on Sunday 20th December.
England legend Sheringham, is a long standing supporter of Everyman and appeared in its cheeky Keep Your Eye on the Ball advert earlier in the year where he showcased his unique “ball skills” in a drive to raise awareness of testicular cancer amongst young men. He is now urging men to sign up for the football tournament and show their support.
He commented: ‘This is a great opportunity for lads all over the country to put their money where their mouth is. Having a nationwide 5-a-side tournament offers players a chance to showcase their footie skills and prove themselves against the rest of the UK while raising money for an incredibly important cause.’
The Keep Your Eye on the Ball campaign was founded by Everyman, the Professional Footballers Association and The Football Association in 2000 in response to several high profile players including Neil Harris, Alan Stubbs and Jason Cundy being diagnosed with testicular cancer. In association with the PFA and FA the campaign aims to raise awareness of, and funds towards, research into male cancers.
Teams can sign up for the competition by registering at the Goals website (www.goalsfootball.co.uk) and paying a £30 entry fee. All proceeds from the tournament will go to Everyman and help fund vital research into testicular and prostate cancer.
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Media contact: Jon Street 020 7153 5542 or email: Jonathan.street@icr.ac.uk.
Notes to Editor
Keep Your Eye On The Ball was set-up by The FA, PFA and Everyman in 2000 in response to several high profile players being diagnosed with testicular cancer. The aim is to raise awareness of testicular and prostate cancer within the football community and raise funds for research at The Everyman Centre - Europe's first and only centre dedicated to male cancer research and part of The Institute of Cancer Research. Everyman is the UK’s leading male cancer campaign.
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men aged between 15 and 44, with about 2,000 cases a year in the UK. Incidence is increasing dramatically – by almost 4-fold in the last 50 years, but thanks to advances made at Everyman, testicular cancer is 99% curable if caught early, and with treatment the overall cure rate is 97%.
