There was plenty to talk about when three Northampton Town Football Club players visited Cliftonville Care Home for a special afternoon of football, conversation and community.
Goalkeeper James Dadge, midfielder Liam Shaw and striker Matty Warhurst spent time with residents, sharing stories from their careers, answering questions and hearing about the residents’ own memories of football.
The visit forms part of an ongoing relationship between Cliftonville and Northampton Town Football Club, bringing residents and the club’s community mentors together through a shared love of sport.
The relationship with Northampton Town Football Club began in May, with the club’s community team working alongside Cliftonville to create opportunities for residents to get involved in activities with local children. Ahead of Care Home Open Week, Cliftonville contacted the club to explore how football could help bring generations together, leading to a series of activities involving residents, pupils from Spring Lane Primary School and Northampton Town’s community mentors.
The latest chapter in the partnership saw three Northampton Town players visit Cliftonville for a special meet-and-greet and question-and-answer session in the Coffee Lounge. The players spoke about their careers so far and what brought them to Northampton. There was also time for photographs and autographs, much to the delight of the football fans at Cliftonville.
Rita, one of our residents, invited the players to explore the garden, where they sat together beneath the pagoda and talked about their favourite football grounds, memorable players they had met and the teams and players they admired.
For several Cliftonville residents, the visit was particularly special because they have supported Northampton Town for many years. Peter brought along a football programme for the players to sign, while others enjoyed reminiscing about their experiences of following the club.
Janet, a long-standing football fan, shared memories of attending matches at the County Ground with family and friends.
“I used to enjoy going to the County Ground on a Saturday afternoon with family friends, supporting from the Spion Kop. It was most enjoyable to see the players – very good, nice lads.”
Meeting the players also brought back memories of Janet’s younger years, including walking home from matches with her boyfriend before stopping for a cup of tea. The couple later married in 1954 and were together for almost 30 years.
For Rita, the afternoon provided an opportunity to share some of her own travel stories, including a trip to Ankara, while learning more about Northampton Town’s community work. She described the players as “very pleasant and charming” and particularly enjoyed chatting with them in the garden.
The relationship will be continued, when Cliftonville residents visit Northampton Town Football Club on Saturday 3 October. They will be hosted in the Tempio Lounge, a sports lounge being opened to community participants on the day for the Oldham Athletic game, continuing a partnership that has brought football, friendship and generations of the local community together.
