The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A former Spalding Town and Holbeach United defender is set to play football for a pioneering England side at a European championships later this month.
Scott Burrell (29) has been named in the first ever England squad made up of Type One Diabetic players that will take part in DiaEuro 2018 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The five-a-side, futsal, competition will take place between July 21 and 29.
It follows the setting up of The Diabetes Football Community (TDFC) whose main organiser Chris Bright has got the team off the ground.
After seeing the initiative online, Scott contacted Chris and wrote some articles for his website.
Now he’s part of a squad that’s been put together from all parts of the country.
Training sessions have been held at Worcester University ahead of flying to Slovakia.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Scott, who by day works for a company that organises stag and hen dos in London. “Playing at a football championships for England will be an experience I never imagined I’d have.
“I almost feel what it’s like when these pros go away to tournaments similar to the proper England side in Russia now!”
Futsal is a smaller version of football, similar to five-a-side. It’s credited as helping develop technical skills as players frequently have to work their way out of tight corners with a smaller ball.
It’s much more popular on foreign shores than it is here but is gaining in popularity and a national league has been set up.
“It’s quite difficult to normal football as it’s so fast paced and there are no chances to stop you have to be alert and involved in the game at all times,” Scott continued. “I usually play as a centre back and often if your team is on the attack you can get a bit of a rest, but Futsal is so involved and demanding that you always have to be involved.
“I’d never played it before I became involved with TDFC.
“It’s most similar to the old indoor league that ran on a Tuesday night at the Castle Sports Centre a few years ago.
“Futsal is more technical and intricate so as a tall and lanky, kick and head centre half it is certainly very different but I’ve tried to adapt at the sessions in Worcester.
“I can take a decent penalty and finished second top scorer for Spalding Town a few seasons ago behind Marcus Parry who is now scoring a lot for Moulton first team.”
Scott was diagnosed with type one diabetes Scott says: “It’s just something I’m used too now, I always eat more carbs pre-match and have Lucozade at half time, have to eat more after in some cases too. It’s just a case of managing it as best I can, sometimes not easy!”
Scott is currently without an eleven-a-side team for the forthcoming season having played for Holbeach United A during the last campaign and Sunday league football with Mullberry.
He’d previously been a stalwart of Peterborough and District Football League side Spalding Town.
Now he’s set to represent his country.
Sadly though Scott won’t be wearing the Three Lions on his chest just yet as the Football Association have been unable to provide any kit or funding for the trip.
“Basically they’d already allocated their disability budget before Chris got in touch about entering, Diaeuro,” he explained. “So we’re not in an official England kit.
“We’ve had a sponsor, Dexcom, buy the kit for us and understandably it has their name on.
“So far Chris has raised a fair bit from sponsors to cover everything and all the players have done a bit of fundraising too.”
You can donate to the team and help with their costs by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/UKDiaEuro
