Legend Shilton hosts training (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Legend Shilton hosts training

ENGLAND goalkeeping legend Peter Shilton passed on tips from a 30-year career to young footballers from Pewsey Vale Youth on Saturday when he attended their training session.

Shilton, who gained 125 England caps and won two European Cups and the League title with Nottingham Forest, attended the event at Pewsey Vale School as part of an arrangement by England team sponsor Nationwide.

The former England number one spent two and a half hours talking, answering questions and training the youngsters at the club before signing autographs for everyone there, including parents.

Mid Wilts Youth League outfit Pewsey U10s Red team manager Shaun Goddard, who helped organise the training session, said: "I cannot believe how well it went.

"You plan it in your head and on the day the structure was blown away and Peter just ran with it.

"It was absolutely fantastic. I was very proud to have Peter down. It was very unexpected and our sponsors were brilliant.

"It came about because one of the boys who plays for me, his dad is marketing director for Nationwide.

"I asked about sponsorship for kit but they couldn't do that so instead organised this.

"Everybody was very surprised. They were asking how we got Peter Shilton there although not all the kids knew who he was.

"We told them he was the David James about 20 years ago and they were amazed.

"Once they saw him and he started saying what he had done they were amazed and asking him questions."

Goddard said the attendance of Shilton, who made 1,390 first class appearances, was a big boost for the club ahead of their mini league season.

He added it would benefit the girls' football team: "It's something we are really trying to get going. I have been working with girls for the last six months and it's going really well with the first friendly on Saturday.

"The difficult thing with the girls is that none of them ever wanted to go in goal, they prefer to be running around, but now we have built up their confidence a bit.

"He was very down to earth, very polite and a generous man. He was brilliant with the kids and very positive."

Goddard also thanked Nationwide, Shilton and Pewsey Vale School for all their support in putting on the event.

Nationwide sponsorship manager Matt Cook said: "He did a lot of theory on goalkeeping. The kids sat there interested in what Peter was saying and they were so captivated by him. They had a practical session with him as well.

"From our point of view it went really well. We have to make sure everyone was happy with it and they were. Everyone got everything they hoped for out of it."

If anybody is interested in joining Pewsey Vale contact Goddard on (01672) 562944.