The New Football Pools is backing Premier League Health

"Almost 90,000 people took part in health-specific activities at our clubs last season"

- Richard Scudamore

Premier League Health launched

The Premier League and the New Football Pools have joined forces to tackle men's health.

 

The Premier League today announced an exciting partnership that will see top flight football clubs help tackle the many serious health issues that men suffer.

Premier League Health is a unique £1.63m programme funded by the New Football Pools to help improve the state of men's health, particularly in deprived areas, all over the country.

• The fact remains that English males have a major problem with the poor state of their health;

• Men still have a lower life expectancy than women (77, compared with 81);

• Men have a higher incidence rate for cancers and suicide;

• More than 120,000 men in the UK die prematurely each year;

• Men are less likely to go to a GP or pharmacy and don't seem to want to participate in public health improvement programmes as much as women do.

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Premier League Health will see 17 of the clubs currently in the Premier League work with local health agencies such as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to engage over 4,000 men. The project will aim to tackle issues as diverse as depression linked to unemployment, obesity and general poor physical health, as well as alcohol and substance abuse. It will target men aged 18 and over, with many clubs placing NHS health trainers within the stadiums themselves, taking referrals from local GPs.

The project will also encourage men to play more sport, with some training them to become football coaches themselves. They will also point the men who take part in the direction of other agencies that might be able to help improve their health.

Launching the project at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said: "Premier League clubs have shown in recent years the diverse range of issues that they can tackle through the extensive work they do in their communities. Many already partner with their local Primary Care Trusts, using the interest that people have in the club to help improve their health. In fact, almost 90,000 people took part in health-specific activities at our clubs last season.

"Only a few years ago football clubs were viewed solely as teams that competed on the pitch every weekend. A modern day Premier League club does far more than that. They now employ hundreds of staff dedicated solely to running an array of community-focused projects that are having an enormous impact. I am sure Premier League Health will go on to do the same."

WELLBEING MATTERS

Ian Penrose, Chief Executive of Sportech PLC, who own The New Football Pools said: "With the re-launch of the Pools this season comes a renewed commitment to fans and their communities. Over its 85-year history the Pools have contributed over £1.1billion to football, other sports and good causes.

"Today, we are delighted to be contributing further to this legacy ensuring The New Football Pools are as relevant to football and society as ever. Our new games and products engage daily with a new generation of Pools players, providing ongoing funding opportunities for tremendous social programmes such as Premier League Health."

Professor Alan White of Leeds Metropolitan University, the world's first Professor of Men's Health, who sits on the steering group of Premier League Health, said: "The men this partnership is aimed at are a generation that have very few services specifically designed for them yet face some of the greatest health challenges both now and throughout their lives.

"Using Premier League clubs sends a very clear message to these men that their health and wellbeing matters, that thought has gone into using locations that they will enjoy being in, and that they are valued."

Former Fulham player Geoff Horsfield said: "I was fortunate to be diagnosed with testicular cancer at an early enough stage to be able to fully recover and return to playing football with Lincoln City. I know from my experience that awareness of potential health problems and then engaging with the health services is a problem for many men. That is why I fully support the efforts of the Premier League and the New Football Pools to use the iconic nature of Premier League football clubs and players to start addressing these issues."

The Premier League Health Steering Group has already confirmed over £1m of the funding for 10 clubs to start their projects immediately, with each targeting issues that are a particular problem in their own area.

To see what each club is doing for the Premier League Health, click here.

Frank Lampard would love to win the Champions League with Chelsea

"After last year of course we want to win the Champions League"

- Frank Lampard

Added incentive for Lampard

Frank Lampard says Chelsea are desperate to erase their Champions League final heartbreak.

 

The width of an upright prevented the Blues from beating Manchester United in a dramatic penalty shootout in the Moscow final last May.

Captain John Terry's miss allowed United to win their third European crown and Lampard says the squad's desire to go one better this season is very much on their minds ahead of the last-16 tie with Juventus at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

"There's an added incentive because of the manner in which we came so close last year," said Lampard. "You can't but help having that in the back of your mind after what happened.

"You want to go back and actually win it, whether this year or not. But so much can happen. Little moments can go either way on the way to the final, and you need that bit of luck to succeed.

"We're very determined, but after last year of course we want to win the Champions League."

WELCOME BACK

Chelsea welcome back former boss Claudio Ranieri on Wednesday night.

Ranieri guided the Blues to their first Champions League semi-final in his last season at Stamford Bridge and his Juventus side will provide formidable opposition.

The Italian was sacked by owner Roman Abramovich in 2004 but Lampard still has great affection for the man who signed him from West Ham United for £11m.

Lampard was among a host of players signed by Ranieri including William Gallas, Emmanuel Petit, Damien Duff, Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole, Scott Parker, Glen Johnson, Hernan Crespo, Sebastian Veron, Arjen Robben and Claude Makelele.

"He should take credit," said Lampard. "He brought a lot of important players to the team. He signed good players even before the Roman Abramovich era. He elevated John Terry to captain and he's become one of the best in the world since."

 

    Date                  Time      Match                                   

Friday 26th February	2000	FA Cup 5th Round Replay  Hull City v Sheffield United
Saturday 28th February	1330	Scottish Premier League  Hamilton v Rangers
Saturday 28th February	1330	Ford Football Special  Everton v West Brom
Sunday 1st March	0130	Scottish Premier League  Hamilton v Rangers
Sunday 1st March	1400	Barclays Premier League  Bolton Wanderers v Newcastle united
Sunday 1st March	1400	Barclays Premier League  Bolton Wanderers v Newcastle united
Sunday 1st March	1600	Carling Cup Final  Manchester United v Spurs
Monday 2nd March	2030	Football League One  Oldham Athletic v Leeds United
Tuesday 3rd March	2050	Ford Football Special  Liverpool v Sunderland
Wednesday 4th March	2055	Barclays Premier League  Blackburn Rovers v Everton

Bellamy thwarts Liverpool

Liverpool 1 - Manchester City 1

PA

Sunday, 22 February 2009

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Former Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy scored to deny his old club the chance to cut the gap on leaders Manchester United to five points as Manchester City claimed a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the Barclays Premier League today.

Bellamy pounced to score after 49 minutes following good work by Robinho and Vincent Kompany.

Liverpool equalised through Dirk Kuyt when he scored after Fernando Torres had failed to convert Yossi Benayoun's cross.

But a point meant United's lead stands at seven points following their 2-1 win over Blackburn yesterday.

Bobby Zamora finally ended his long barren streak as Fulham condemned bottom side West Brom to a hopelessly one-sided 2-0 defeat.

Zamora had played more than 29 hours of Premier League football since his last goal but tapped home the opener from point-blank range before strike partner Andy Johnson added his ninth of the season in all competitions to seal a well-earned victory.

The home side struck the woodwork on four separate occasions as they ran riot with Clint Dempsey, Brede Hangeland and, on two occasions, Danny Murphy the men to miss out, while Roman Bednar missed an injury-time penalty for the visitors.

Ten-man Newcastle held out for a 0-0 draw at home to Everton after having Kevin Nolan sent off for a bad tackle on Victor Anichebe a minute before half-time.

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Red Devils support deaf-friendly football

Young hearing-impaired footballers met Manchester United's Darren Fletcher and Ben Foster for a training session.

The session was held at the club's Carrington training ground and was the product of a combined effort from the Manchester United Foundation and the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS).

The visit was part of the Premier League Creating Chances programme and involved young people aged 8-18 from schools across the north-west, who attend regular sessions as part of Manchester United's Foundation's disability programme. The Foundation holds deaf-friendly football sessions and deaf-friendly festivals in partnership with the NDCS. The aim of the sessions is to encourage deaf youngsters into football by making facilities and programmes more accessible.