30th Anniversary Of Valley Parade Memorial Tournament

Thursday, 24 March 2016 15:46

This year's Valley Parade football tournament, in memory of the fire that claimed 56 lives, is being held on Easter Bank Holiday weekend for the 30th time.

The tournament organised by Bradford Council has run every year since 1986 - one year after the fire tragedy on May 11, 1985.

The games will be played at the Council's Marley Activities and Coaching Centre in Keighley on Saturday, 26 March and Sunday, 27 March, with youngsters from local junior clubs across the Bradford district taking on teams from Bradford City, Lincoln City and an international team from Germany.

The medals are sponsored by the Prison Officers' Association who ensure that every participant takes home a medal regardless of where they finish in the tournament.

The competition has seen over 10,500 participants taking part, and arguably the most famous of these are Tom Cleverley (Everton) and Mike Hanke (Borussia Monchengladbach) who both went on to represent their countries at international level.

The memorial tournament was created by former Bradford Council chief recreation officer Howell Williams.

The organisation was taken over by Carl Dalton, Principal Officer of Bradford Council’s Community Play and Activities Development service, in 2000. Carl a lifelong Bradford City fan, who was in the main stand on the day, has been instrumental in this ‘friendship through football event’, which is growing each year.

Carl said: "The tournament helps preserve the memory of those who died, provides us with an opportunity to reflect on what happened that day, and also lets us celebrate our future footballers."

Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council's Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Sustainability, said: "This is about friendship through football. The philosophy is about taking part and playing the game in the right spirit; having respect for your opponents and the referees."

POA national chairman, Peter McParlin, said: "Whilst the tournament was born out of a tragedy that will always be remembered, it also give us a chance to look forward and see young footballers enjoying themselves. It shows how sport can unite people and build lasting friendships, despite the great distances in some cases."

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