Paralympics GB Cerebral Palsy Squad
- Wednesday,
The players representing Lyndon Lynch's Paralympics GB seven-a-side squad at London 2012
MICHAEL BARKER
Age: 25
Hometown: Liverpool
Barker was in the Everton youth setup when Wayne Rooney was on the books at Goodison Park.
London 2012 will be Barker’s second Paralympics having competed in Beijing 2008. The 25-year-old made his mark ahead of the Games by winning the Golden Boot at the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in Holland last year.
CRAIG CONNELL
Age: 23
Hometown: Glasgow
Connell is one of four Scottish internationals in the Cerebral Palsy squad having impressed GB selectors on both the world and European stage over the last couple of years. The goalkeeper was named player of the tournament at the 2010 Euros and lists Peter Schmeichel as his all time favourite player.
IBRAHIMA DIALLO
Age: 19
Hometown: Bristol
Diallo made his international debut at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester earlier this year with GB winning silver just behind Ukraine. The teenager was born in Guinea-Bissou and cites French midfield legend Zinedine Zidane as his favourite player.
MATT DIMBYLOW
Age: 41
Hometown: Northwich
The Cerebral Palsy team captain has represented both England and Great Britain all over the world having originally played semi-professional football in the North-West. Dimbylow’s proudest career moment was winning Gold with GB at the Arafura Games in Australia three years ago. London 2012 will be Dimbylow’s second Pararlympics having competed at Beijing 2008.
MATT ELLIS
Age: 32
Hometown: Miami
Originally from Suffolk, Matt Ellis was a late call up to the squad after Josh Beacham had to be withdrawn due to injury. Ellis brings plenty of tournament experience to London 2012 having been part of the Gold medal winning GB team that triumphed at the Arafura Games in 2009.
GEORGE FLETCHER
Age: 17
Hometown: Liverpool
The FA announced both Paralympic squads at last season’s FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Everton and Fletcher was one of the players to be presented to the capacity crowd at half-time. The teenager was part of the Silver medal winning squad at the Paralympic World Cup in May and is good friends with his Merseyside team-mate, Michael Barker.
BLAIR GLYNN
Age: 26
Hometown: Tranent, East Lothian
Glynn is the second Scotsman to make Lyndon Lynch’s Cerebral Palsy squad having represented his home country at the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in Holland last year. The Hearts fan says scoring his first international goal for Scotland against Canada is his career highlight to date.
JONATHAN PATERSON
Age: 24
Hometown: Motherwell
The Scottish international has good pedigree on the world stage having captained both Scotland and GB in the past. Paterson competed at Beijing 2008 and was part of the Silver medal squad at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester. Paterson’s brother is also a footballer and plays professionally in the USA.
ALISTAIR PATRICK-HESELTON
Age: 29
Hometown: Milton Keynes
London 2012 might be Patrick-Heselton’s Paralympic debut but he’s no stranger to football having been on the books of QPR, Wycombe Wanderers and Oldham Athletic in the past while enjoying spells at both Northwood and Bishop’s Stortford. Patrick-Heselton made his international bow at the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in Holland last year and scored a debut goal against South Korea. He was also on the scoresheet against Brazil at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.
JAMES RICHMOND
Age: 32
Hometown: Tullibody, Clackmannanshire
Richmond has only been playing CP for two years and has made a quick impression on the game. The Celtic fan made the Scotland squad for the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in Holland last year and impressed the GB selectors to make the team for London 2012.
MARTIN SINCLAIR
Age: 26
Hometown: Camberley
Sinclair will make Paralympic history when he steps out at London 2012 – The brother of Swansea City and Team GB’s Scott Sinclair, they’ll be the first siblings to have competed in both sets of Games, and at the same sport, in one city. Martin Sinclair was originally in a wheelchair as a teenager but recovered to carve out a career in Cerebral Palsy football and made his GB debut at the Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia.
BILLY THOMPSON
Age: 29
Hometown: Croydon
The goalkeeper made his international debut at the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in Holland last year and kept a cleansheet in the win over South Korea. Thompson went on to win a Silver medal with GB at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester and trains with Isthmian League outfit, Whyteleafe, on a regular basis. Like his GB team-mate Craig Connell, Thompson rates Peter Schmeichel as his inspiration.