U12s at Ypres

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/arti...der-12s-premier-league-centenary-2084348.aspx

An article from the OS about the u12s going to Ypres for a tournament to mark the Xmas truce. I mentioned at the time that the PL had given a pitch to the locals as a memorial and someone remarked that the PL should buy pitches here as well. At the bottom of the article, it mentions how much money the PL has put into grassroots by buying artificial pitches in England. Think it's important to mention good things that are being done by the PL as well as knocking them.

 

Yes, but they will have to do better than coming twelth! Anyway good luck to these kids, many will not make the grade, let's hope that we can come up with some gems to keep the continuity going, at least we are giving them all the chance to succeed.

 

I hope the u12s got something more from that visit than just the football...people who forget their history are doomed to relive it. A valuable experience for them....though by the look of them, that lesson was wear thermal underwear

 

My great uncle Jack was only 16 when he joined up to fight in that war - still a child himself, and one of thousands of "boy soldiers" who lied about their age and got in with little scrutiny. Came back a shattered man and slowly drank himself to death over many years.

A worthy initiative, well done the PL. Lest we forget.

 

Was at Ypres earlier this year and the young man who took us on a battlefield tour told me that he was really pleased at the number of young English people (20 and under) who visited this year, were really interested in the whole history and asked sensible questions. Good to know!!

 

A friend of mine is accompanying a group of school kids to Auschwitz this week.

 

Good to know - SO important that the youngsters understand what happened and could easily happen again

 

I've never been, but apparently that is one place that you can't help but be affected by, whatever your age. My brother went in the 1960's and was struck by the complete silence around the place, including a complete absence of birdsong.

 

See Putin/IS/sanctions/appeasement for details of exactly how it could happen again...