Northampton Town have been nominated alongside the likes of European giants Juventus, Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen and Feyenoord as one of just ten clubs from across Europe shortlisted for the More Than Football Award 2022.
During the 17th EFDN Conference last week, ten clubs were nominated for the More Than Football Award 2022 and the Northampton Town Community Trust Tackling Loneliness Project was listed alongside community projects from Juventus, Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen and Feyenoord. In fact, the Cobblers were one of only two English teams nominated, alongside Newcastle United.
The full list of nominated clubs is:
Falkirk Foundation – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Project
FC Twente Scoren in de Wijk – Senior Community FC Twente
Feyenoord Rotterdam – Club1908
Newcastle United Foundation – Building a United Future
SV Werder Bremen – Klare Kante gegen Rassismus
Northampton Town Community Trust FC – Tackling Loneliness
Fundazioa Athletic Club – Culture and Football
Juventus FC – Un Calcio al Razzismo (A Kick to Racism)
Fundación Alcoraz – “Juega tu Papél – Play your paper”
VFL Wolfsburg – #Vielfalt School for Diversity Project
The Northampton Town Tackling Loneliness project has now been running for over two years, becoming a key support mechanism for community members throughout three lockdowns and beyond with over 1,200 contacted by staff, volunteers, players, the manager and the chairman. The work of the project has been featured on BBC Breakfast and in the New York Times.
The winner of the 2022 #MorethanFootball Award does not only receive recognition for having implemented the most innovative and impactful Community and Social Responsibility programme in European football, but they will also win a complete Mini-Pitch System™ modular sports solution. The club-branded mini-pitch will be developed in partnership between the winning organisation, EFDN and Musco.
This nomination list will be narrowed down to a shortlist of four clubs in September, by a panel including UEFA and UN representatives, with the winner being announced in Budapest in November.
"We are fiercely proud of our impact in the local community and nominations such as this show just what an impact that work has," said Chairman Kelvin Thomas.
"To be one of just ten clubs across the whole of Europe to be nominated shows just what a wonderful job the club and the Northampton Town Community Trust do working with, supporting and connecting with the local community and we are delighted with this nomination.
"We have and continue to support so many people across Northamptonshire it is wonderful to see and this truly is a community football club that cares about the people we support.
"Having made some calls to supporters as part of this project myself, I know just what an impact we have made. Congratulations to Phill and all the staff at the Community Trust, this is truly special recognition for a truly special project and we are so, so proud."