Football club on road to Wembley in lockdown

Not for them, this time, playing at the stadium of footballing dreams, but a lockdown virtual challenge of walking/running the equivalent distance between its home ground and Wembley.

Coach Phil Wilkinson said of the challenge set by club chairman James Fasey: “Lockdown Three has been much harder for the girls and boys than the previous two and we’ve been trying to keep them engaged socially and physically.

“My U6 and U7 girls teams have so far had a drawing/writing challenge; as well as this ongoing Road to Wembley Challenge, plus a Lockdown Challenge Bingo of footballing skills/drills to complete.”

Phil also took part in the virtual event and last week celebrated coming to the end of the route.

“I finally completed the football club’s latest lockdown challenge of virtually walking or running the 191 miles from Wetherby to Wembley.”

In just two weeks since the challenge started, out of the 96 taking part, the top 30 on the Strava app were well past Elland Road and the leader had made it as far as the King Power stadium in Leicester.

Wetherby Athletic Junior Football Club, which has an FA Community Club Award, has teams for girls and boys of all abilities from ages five to 18, as well as football for children with special needs.