We are delighted to report on the fantastic events and progress made by the Spirit-Sponsored Everton in The Community teams.
In October we celebrated the pinnacle of success with the Everton Amputee Team winning back-to-back league titles and gaining Champions League 2025 qualification. Our PAN ability B band team were also crowned League Champions after a difficult season. October saw our PAN ability A band team start off their campaign on new turf. Well done to all players!
The Everton Amputee team won back-to-back league titles, taking their tally to four league titles since the competition began. A 1-1 draw with rival title chasing Portsmouth meant that the ‘Blues’ finished three points clear of their South Coast counterparts. A goal from Rhyce Ramsden was enough to seal the all-important point to ensure we were champions and qualify for next season’s Champions League Campaign for the second successive season.
Also in October, our PAN ability B band team were crowned League Champions after a long hard-fought season. Their league title triumph was the first, but no doubt not their last. A team made up of adults with different additional needs, competing in the Merseyside Ability Counts League is a huge part of our Disability Programme and we are proud to be able to offer disabled people that opportunity.
Joe Ison, B Band Manager comments, “This was brilliant for the lads to finally win. To see all the hard work they put in getting to training and working as hard as they do every Wednesday evening. To be league champions is a great success for the team and they should be very proud of what they have done. Hopefully we can continue our progress and give a good account of ourselves this new season and do our best to retain it.”
In November, aside from our regular fixtures, our DS team travelled to Charlton to take part in the annual DS festival. The team reached the final, finishing runners up in a fiercely competitive tournament. Our strong connection with Charlton Athletic's Down Syndrome team meant we travelled the day before and got involved with their match day activities and watched the Charlton versus Wrexham game.
After such a great season of success it was fitting that our Disability Awards Evening celebrating season 23/24 achievements for all our Disability Teams awards ceremony was a glittering affair!
The Christmas break, combined with match postponements caused by adverse weather conditions delayed the return of all football teams to competition, but fixtures resumed January 25th with the start of the amputee league season. In the meantime, we are thrilled to announce two new signings to our amputee team, showcasing the growing strength and appeal of our squads.
Amputee team sign England goalkeeper for upcoming season
Everton Amputee team have secured the signing of England international goalkeeper, Kieran Lambourne ahead of the 2025 English Amputee Football League (EAFL). This is a crucial addition to the squad as the team seeks to retain our league title, as well as competing in the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) Champions League for the second season running. Having tough competition for the signing of Kieran (with Portsmouth, Newcastle and his current club Chelsea all looking to add to their squads), we are very happy to get this one over the line. Kieran’s signature means the team bolstered its already talented goalkeeping department as excitement mounts for the start of the new season.
Kieran comments, ‘I am very happy to have signed for Everton for the upcoming season. The way they play really suits me as a goalkeeper and I feel I can add a lot of value to the team as we aim to retain the league title for what will be the third year running. I am also very excited for the Champions League as it will be my first appearance in the competition and to showcase myself and the team on the European stage against Europe’s best teams is a huge honour and one, I cannot wait for.’
Annabelle Kiki Remmer signs for Everton Amputee team
Our amputee team made another signing ahead of the upcoming season. Annabelle Kiki Remmer has joined us this year as she continues her journey in amputee football. Annabelle starred in the first ever Women’s World Cup for the newly formed England Woman’s team recently held in Barranquilla, Colombia. Taking part in the first ever women’s world cup was a huge achievement, but she also added to this by going on to finish as the tournament’s top goal scorer!
Adding her to our squad will give her the vital game time experience she needs to continue her quest in amputee football and allow her to build and develop her skills to reach her goals.
Annabelle says, “signing for Everton is the next important step in my football career. Playing regular games each month and training weekly will allow me to develop both as a player and with my fitness to give me the best chance of succeeding as much as I possibly can. Off the back of the world cup, I am looking forward to taking part now for Everton in domestic league fixtures to test my ability there too.”
What's the best thing about playing for Everton? This is the question we asked participants from across our disability teams. It enabled us to post a piece of fun, engaging content on our Instagram platform which enabled us to put the spotlight on the support of Spirit Foundation.
