A former Manchester United star who was bullied for his appearance is offering Scottish kids a safe place to play football and build their self-esteem.
Luke Chadwick is now the director of Football Fun Factory, an organisation dedicated to providing a pressure-free environment where children can play while developing important life skills.
The Premier League winner with United suffered from bullying during his professional career and is passionate about ensuring kids grow up with the confidence he once struggled to find.
His motivation stems from his own painful experiences of being mocked on television.
Chadwick told the Record: “The program ‘They Think It’s All Over’ began mocking the way I looked when I broke into the Manchester United first team. I began to feel down.
“My self-esteem suffered and I started to feel anxious and didn’t like to leave the house.
“Away from football, it was more uncomfortable. Even things like walking off the bus to what people thought were funny comments really affected me.
“It got to the point where I just wanted it to stop. If I hadn’t played for Manchester United, I probably wouldn’t have gotten that attention to begin with.
“There were some really challenging times when I was getting that abuse and being bullied for my appearance but my mum always reminded me of my love for football and it allowed me to shut out the noise and live my dream.”
Now determined to make sure that kids going through similar experiences have safe spaces to express themselves, Chadwick said: “The biggest reason I got involved in this was because it reminds me of my earliest memories of playing football and my love of the game.
“If I didn’t have those experiences, I would never have become a professional footballer, played for Manchester United, or still love the game.
“We have kids from ages 18 months to 12 years old coming to our camps which use football as a vessel to develop positive life skills.
“Our biggest priority is developing the kids as human beings. At the end of every session, we give out awards to the child who has displayed the best human qualities throughout that session. Whether that is helping another child who has fallen or one who is being really encouraging.
“Our aim is to have every child leave the football pitch with a massive smile on their face and for them to carry that love of football with them as they grow older.”
Chadwick is also backing has the Record’s Our Kids… Our Future campaign, which calls for the Scottish Government to invest in safe spaces for children.
The campaign was launched last year in response to a rise in violent attacks on young people across Scotland, highlighting the urgent need for safe environments where children can feel secure.
Chadwick added: “Without a shadow of a doubt, campaigns like this vitally important.
“There is wonderful work going on within communities but more needs to be done and that’s something we are trying to offer.
“Safe spaces are needed for children. Kids have to do things they enjoy doing with a smile on their face and that’s something, as a parent, that you want for your child.”
Chadwick’s personal story struck a chord with those involved in his public humiliation. Gary Lineker, who was part of They Think It’s All Over, and Nick Hancock, the show’s host, both publicly apologised to Chadwick after learning about the impact their comments had on him.
Hancock admitted on BBC Breakfast that listening to Chadwick was “incredibly humbling.” He added, “He’s shown so much more generosity and understanding and good judgement than we did at the time.”
While Linekar took to X, saying: “I was part of that show, therefore, I too would like to apologise to Luke for any hurt caused.”
His courses in Scotland are taken by coaches in the following areas; Blair Gray in Kilmarnock and Troon, Andrew Hutchison in Aberdeenshire, Martin Kennedy in Dunfermline and South Queensferry, Laura and Dave Muir in Glasgow and Ralston, Calvin Lawrie in Motherwell, Greenock and Bellshill, and Luke Murray in Helensburgh, Greenock and Alexandria.
For Chadwick, it’s all about the long-term impact, saying: “To do this with the Football Fun Factory on a mass scale for thousands of children is worth it.”
To find out more about the Football Fun Factory, visit their website.
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