Well Done to John Eagleton....

Daily Mirror – Pride of Sport Awards

Local sporting hero John Eagleton from Buckhurst Hill Essex was honoured at the Daily Mirror Pride of Sport awards for his services to youth sport.

Roy Hodgson was among a string of big names at the event, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Central London, who received a Lifetime achievement award for 40 year’s service to sport.

The glittering star studded awards ceremony hosted by Ben Shepard attended by some of Great Britain’s converted sporting heroes, including England Manager Roy Hodgson, England Cricket Captain Alastair Cook, David Haye, Sol Campbell, David Seaman, Mark Falco, Louis Smith and Barry McGuigan.

Hodgson said: “I go to the Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards every year. It is a very prestigious occasion and a great occasion in the sense that it honours people that otherwise maybe wouldn’t have got such a recognition.

“In the same way I am honoured to have been at this event for sport. I can relate to it even more because that’s where I have spent my life.”

John Eagleton has been the driving force behind a thriving football club based in Chigwell Essex, starting with just two teams in 1997, it now has 33 teams for both girls and boys, an education programme, a Soccer School, a social inclusion project at nearby Limes Farm and were awarded the FA Charted Standard Community Club 2012.

More than 120 young people have gained qualifications though the education programme since it started just 2 years ago.

John and his club Colebrook Royals FC have a Charity partner Haven Children’s Hospice based in Woodford Green, Colebrook has raised in access of £80,000 in memory of a former player who sadly passed away in 2008 aged just 15.

John’s inspirational and visionary character has transformed a simple grass roots football club into a thriving sporting centre for the benefit of the young people in East London and Essex.

John Eagleton said:

‘’I couldn’t do what I do without the help of more than 70 volunteers that help to make football happen every day at the club, that ranges from administrators, coaches, kit washing to someone making the tea’’

‘’to be honoured at such a great event gives me and the thousands of other people involved in sport up and down the country the recognition they deserve’’