AFC Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham made quite the impression when going down to our disability soccer school on his day off last week.
The Wales international took part in the session, run by our Community Sports Trust, and later signed autographs and posed for a photo.
Shooting drills and defending were on the agenda, with all participants keen to test their skills against Mepham, who netted his first Cherries goal in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on the opening day of the season.
The 21-year-old had a strong impact during the cerebral palsy session, with one youngster opting to join him for his interview with afcbTV.
“This one took a liking to me,” said a smiling Mepham after being joined by Alex Binks on camera.
“It’s really good to see so many smiley faces and see them all enjoying themselves.
“I think it’s always important to give something back to the community. It goes such a long way and I love doing this stuff. I did it quite a lot at my old team, at Brentford, and it’s always important to get behind the community wherever possible.”
Head of community, Steve Cuss, also spoke highly of the day and the impact that Mepham had on the participants.
“We’re really fortunate that we get great support from the management and the players,” he began.
“The players come out to our sessions frequently and it’s really important for our local community to feel part of the football club, so there’s nothing better than when someone comes along and takes part in the session.”
To see the full video of our disability soccer school, just click below.
