Northampton Player Claims National Award

At a recent Grass Roots Football Show at the NEC, Northampton Town's Chris McDonald won the National Every Player Counts supported by the Football Pools award and was presented with the trophy by World Cup winner and Football Pools ambassador Roger Hunt MBE.

At the age of 9 months, Chris' parents were told that he would probably never walk because he has cerebral palsy. Chris also wears hearing aids in both ears and has done since being diagnosed deaf at 22 months old. By the age of 8, Chris had defied the doctor's early predictions and was not only walking, but had begun to play football. The years that followed included Chris recovering from multilevel surgery that has meant he needs to wear leg splints.

Chris has been selected as club captain for two years and was also his player's player of the year last year. He is working towards his Duke of Edinburgh gold award badge and his level one coaching badge. It is Chris' positive and inspiring attitude which has earned him the respect of all the 100 members at the club which includes his fellow players, parents, and coaches.

This season Chris has been selected for the East Midland Cerebral Palsy Elite squad, a regional squad from which the England teams are selected. Chris sees his disabilities as what have made him the fantastic young man that he is today, and not a barrier.