Sunderland AFC Academy players use Pals Battalions project to support local community ahead of Armistice Day
Ahead of Armistice Day, SAFC’s academy players have teamed up with Young Asian Voices and have been supporting the city’s branch of the Salvation Army after being inspired by the role of Pals Battalions during World War One.
As the scale of the Great War began to become apparent, in 1914 Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, led a recruitment drive encouraging young men from the same village, town or workplace - including the professional footballers - to sign up with friends to aid the war effort.
They were knows as the Pals Battalions.
Each year, the club’s under 12s use the Christmas Day Truce - when soldiers on both sides took part in a game of football in no mans’ land - to engage the youngsters to learn about the Great War.
Head of Education at the Academy of Light, Don Peattie, said: “The boys decided to create their own Pals Battalion to recruit people to help the local community.
“They invited Young Asian Voices to be part of their battalion and earlier this week the boys met up and signed up to the group before taking part in a football match.
“This encompasses a key part of the club’s values to promote diversity and inclusion. The club’s under 18s are also heading to Young Asian Voices to take part in some community work and we hope this becomes a sustainable partnership”.
As part of the Premier League Christmas Truce Project the young Black Cats have created posters to support their Pals Battalion recruitment drive as well as writing poems and letters about what life was like in the trenches.
One of the standout pieces of work was from 11-year-old Billy Muldoon who wrote a poem about what life was like as a soldier on the front line.
Don added: “We got the lads to imagine what life was like in the trenches and they event created a short play about the dialogue which may have taken place across no mans’ land on the day of the Christmas Truce.”
This morning (October 31) the boys visited the city’s branch of the Salvation Army who were running their ‘Silver Screen Movie Club’ for local elderly residents.
The academy players acted out the play, spoke with members and also donated 15 bags worth of clothing to support those in need.
Don said: “We wanted a Pals Battalion not to go to war, but to support local good causes.
“During both world wars the women in the Salvation Army used to make doughnuts for the soldiers and so the boys spent time making them for the elderly people at the club.”
In December the team hopes to take part in the Premier League’s prestigious Christmas Truce football tournament in Ypres, Belgium, where the youngsters will get to play against some Europe’s top teams as well as visiting the WW1 battlefields.
Five teams qualify through results on the pitch with three additional places up for grabs via the project.
Central midfielder Joseph Gibson, 11, said: “The project has been really good as I didn’t really know about the Christmas Day Truce.
“The message behind the Pals Battalions is really important as we should look after each other and support local causes.
“It’s very important we remember Armistice Day as if it wasn’t for the people who fought in the wars we night not be here today.”
Team mate Luke Watson, 11, who attends Easington Academy, added: “Collecting the clothes for the Salvation Army was good as it’s important to help other people.
“It’s really important we remember those who fought in the war as if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have the freedom we have today.”
On Saturday (October 26) the team visited the Blyth Battery War Museum where they were donated a football used by soldiers during WW1.
Don said: “It’s very important to mark Armistice Day and remember the sacrifices made by these young men for the protection of others.
“As a club we’ve always been about the boys’ personal development and not just what happens on the pitch.”