Delight all round as hero pops in

It’s not every day that an England hero pops in for a knockaround.

But that was the treat offered to youngsters from two Wolverhampton sides during a special training session at the city’s Aldersley Leisure Village.

Stuart Pearce met players with youth teams Punjab United and Finchfield FC.

He offered the young players the benefit of his experience as they played an Easter Monday friendly and posed for souvenir pictures.

The England under-21 manager had earlier met two young football fans coping with cancer ahead of the big match at Molineux. Philip Bate and Adam Lovack were able to shake hands with one of their heroes as he trained young players for their clash with Poland.

The 45-year-old kicked off a new link between the Football Association and the CLIC Sargent cancer charity which will see tickets for the match given to poorly youngsters.

Pearce said: “Taking a team around the country we always like to get involved with the local community and it was great to meet up with a couple of lads today.

“We have given them 10 tickets for the game tonight. I understand they are a couple of Wolves fans so it will be particularly nice for them to go to Molineux and support the national team.”

Adam, 17, of Thilmere Drive, Essington, has been receiving treatment in Birmingham Children’s Hospital for acute myeloid leukaemia which he has suffered from since 1999.

He said: “I used to enjoy playing football but I’ve become more interested in watching it.”

Adam is also working on his GCSEs through the hospital’s James Brindley School and hopes to become a primary school teacher.

Philip, 20, of Ryefield, Pendeford, suffers from Ewings Sarcoma.