http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/8927932.Alex__20__hopes_to_play_for_Britain/?ref=mr
Alex, 20, hopes to play for Britain
4:40pm Saturday 26th March 2011
A KEEN sportsman from Fordingbridge has a new goal after being included in the GB football squad for next year’s Paralympics.
Alex Mullin, 20, a former student at The Burgate School, used to play mainstream football for Fordingbridge Town and Fordingbridge Turks.
He is currently studying for a degree in Sports Media at the University College Plymouth St Mark & St John.
Alex, who is captain of the FA-sponsored South West Cerebral Palsy (CP) Regional team, played for England’s CP team in four international matches last week in Ireland, where they won a bronze medal by beating Scotland 3-1 in the third place game.
His father John said: “We believe he is only the second former Turks player to ever have represented England at football.
“CP football is a seven-a-side version of the game aimed at players with mobility problems that arise from birth or are acquired through serious injury but it is played at great intensity and is well worth watching and should be one of the key events in 2012.”
Alex, who hopes to be a sports journalist, said: “The cerebral palsy only affects my left side, and then it’s only really noticeable near the end of the match.
“I’ve only been playing with disabilities teams for five months – before that I just played mainstream.”
Midfielder Alex is one of 22 players selected from all over Great Britain. The final squad of 12 will be chosen next year.
He has been training with the British squad at the National Sports Centre at Lilleshall.
He said: “I really think we’re in with a chance next year, as we are ranked fourth and fifth in the world at the moment.
“Only Russia and the Ukraine have professional teams, so if we get on the podium we’ll have done really well.”
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