Trust News

The mother of Jacob Schilt, one of the two footballers who died in the Shoreham air crash in August has written to the Supporters’ Trust to thank them for their support.

Jacob and Matt Grimstone were on their way to play for Worthing United when the tragedy happened. They were among 11people killed when the aircraft crashed onto the road.

Cardiff City fans raised hundreds of pounds on the buses to the League game at Brighton, where Matt worked as a groundsman.

The Supporters’ Trust also made a donation to the REMF (Robert Eaton Memorial Fund), a charity set up by Brighton FC to support and develop children’s & youth football across the globe. Jacob Schilt had done a lot of work to support the REMF.

Jacob’s mother Caroline, who was born and raised in Llandaff, Cardiff, said: “The football community are amazing and have given us so much support and comfort at this terrible time. I have very fond memories of growing up in Cardiff and my mother was a staunch Cardiff City fan.

“Indeed, it is from my mother that Jacob inherited his love of football. She taught PE originally and taught the boys football at the Cathedral School and did some coaching at Llandaff City Church of Wales School.”

Thanking the fans for their support, Caroline said: “It is heartening to know that so many people care so deeply.”

The Trust would also like to thank everyone who helped raise the money for Jacob’s charity and  showed once again our ‘friendship through football.’

We’ve been asked to make fans aware of a fundraising evening for the Marie Curie charity  with Wales football manager Chris Coleman that takes place at the Conservative Club, Stanwell Road, Penarth, on Thursday, November 26 (7pm).

Chris will be talking about his career, including his success with the national team, followed by a Q & A session with the opportunity for fans to ask him a question.

There’s also an auction where you will get the chance to bid for a Wales shirt signed by the Wales squad, a football signed by Gareth Bale and other items.

Tickets are £20 and to purchase them please call Marie Curie Hospice community organiser, Sarah Hughes on 029 2042 6068 or email sarah.hughes@mariecurie.org.uk

With Wales’ team having finally qualified for a major international tournament for the first time since 1958, S4C is broadcasting a six-part TV series about the history of Welsh football.

Stori Pêl-droed Cymru kicks off on Tuesday, October 20 (9.30pm, English subtitles available), just ten days after Wales qualifying for Euro 2016.

Falling at the final hurdle has been the story of Wales’ football team with the exception of their success in reaching the final rounds of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden when Wales lost in the quarter finals to Brazil with a 17 year old Pelé scoring his first World Cup goal.

But series’ presenter, author and avid football fan Dewi Prysor says, “Thinking about the way we got to Sweden in 1958, some people say we used up half a century’s worth of luck in the process.

“Considering what we’ve been through since, it would be easy to agree because, as every Wales’ supporter knows, despite the dramatic victories and the thrilling campaigns, ‘almost there’ has been the story every time. We’ve drowned so often near the shore.”

Although Wales didn’t win their way through directly to the 1958 World Cup final rounds, they got a second chance when Arabian teams pulled out refusing to play Israel. Wales beat Israel twice in a two-leg further qualifier and in Sweden they made it through the group stage to the quarter finals.

The first programme in Stori Pêl-droed Cymru takes us all the way back to the formation of the Welsh Football Association at a meeting in the Wynnstay Arms Hotel in Wrexham in 1876 and the key role played by solicitor and footballer, Llewelyn Kenrick who advertised in The Field magazine for players to form the first Wales national football team.

Dewi Prysor also tells the stories of disappointment as Wales failed to qualify for four major tournaments – the World Cup in Argentina in 1978, Spain in 1982 and the USA in 1994 and Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Euros Wyn, producer of Stori Pêl-droed Cymru, said, “After so many disappointments, it’s great that followers of the Wales team can celebrate at last. The present team is among the best ever to play for Wales and they have the skills and talent to make a big impression in France next year. We couldn’t have dreamt of a better finale for our series Stori Pêl-droed Cymru.”

A group of Wales football fans will be crossing Europe again this year to donate money and sports kits to children’s charities. Members of the Gôl! supporters charity are heading for Sarajevo to see Wales play Bosnia in the European Championships Qualifying game in October. They will make the 2,500 kilometre journey through nine countries and visit good causes on their way.

The supporters will be paying their own way to get to Bosnia but they will also be raising much needed funds for children’s charities. They will visit the ‘Jugendhilfe-heidehaus’ near Koblenz in Germany and in Sarajevo the ‘Ljubica Ivezic,’ a homeless children’s centre.

They drive to Belgrade after the match where the car will be donated to a charity which works with young people in Kosovo. Gôl! organised similar drives to Azerbaijan and to Macedonia and continues to help children’s homes whenever Wales play. It also aims to improve the image of

The supporters leave Cardiff on Friday, October 2. The journey will take a week and they hope to arrive in Sarajevo the day before the Wales match in nearby Zenica on the 10th of October. Gôl! was established in Azerbaijan 2002 by fans who wanted ‘to make a difference’ when Wales played international matches. It has been active in more than 30 countries. Following that first visit in Baku gifts of footballs, kits and toys have become a regular feature of Welsh fans’ away trips.

One of the trustees, Tim Hartley, said, “We have always been made very welcome when we visit countries across Europe with Wales, from Armenia to Latvia to Iceland. This is our small way of saying thank you, give a little something back and by doing so try to raise the profile of Welsh football fans who travel thousands of miles to support their national team.”

Gôl! is grateful to Macsen Financial Planning, One-to-One Advisors Ltd, Vision Communications, Logic Freight Ltd and Knight Fire and Security for their generous sponsorship of this visit.

To donate to Gôl! go to httpss://www.justgiving.com/T-Hartley

Cardiff City is offering fans the chance to win 10 tickets for the Hull City away game which will be beamed back to the Bluebirds’ stadium.

While the beam back initiative will cost individuals a bargain £10, including food.

As a Trust we welcome this innovation. Full details https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/article/keep-your-hull-stubs-2689196.aspx