Eddie Izzard backs disabled footballers

A FOOTBALL club for disabled people has received a welcome boost thanks to a celebrity fan.

World famous comedian Eddie Izzard has donated 2,500 to the 1066 Specials to help with specialist coaching.

Eddie, who spent a large part of his childhood in the town, is a regular supporter of Bexhill causes - he recently gave 5,000 to

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Bexhill United FC towards the installation of new floodlights. He is also a patron of the De La Warr Pavilion.

The 1066 Specials offer profoundly disabled people in Bexhill, Hastings and Rother the chance to play football.

The club now boasts over 100 members and several teams just six years after its formation.

Eddie's grant was an unexpected one, as the Specials hadn't asked him for money.

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Club president Harold Lawrence was introduced to Eddie by the star's father, John, at the Bexhill Achiever Awards this summer.

Harold originally asked the comic and actor to become a patron, but he declined on the basis he didn't spend enough time in the country to offer the club adequate support.

"That was fair enough," said Harold. "Then I got a call a while later from John saying Eddie would like to know what we need. I told him we could always use help with coaching. We are looking to spend money on disabled coaching and going into local schools to offer coaching.

"Then I got another call asking if 2,500 would be alright. I said it would be perfectly acceptable!"

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Harold was originally unsure if the gesture should be made public but, following the announcement by Bexhill United, he felt the Specials should also speak out on Eddie's generosity.

"He is just a tremendous bloke," Harold added. "I think what I like about him is that he does it for the right reasons. He thinks it through, asks what you need and is then generous enough to contribute."

It represents yet more good news for the club, as they recently managed to find the patron with local links they were looking for - Sir Paul McCartney agreed to give his backing to the charity.

The ex-Beatle has given permission for the Specials to use his name on their literature from now on.