CHESTER Deaf Football Club (CDFC) ‘legends’ have reunited and raised more than £600 for the next generation of players.

CDFC, which was established in the city more than 70 years ago, was recently reformed with the help and support of Deafness Support Network (DSN).

Legends, Ian Wilkinson, Steve Williams, David Doller, Mike Ritchie, David Pane, Claire Povey, Susan Jones and Lynne Wadelin raised the funds thanks to an event held at Springfield Hotel and Health Club in Pentre Halkyn in October.

Erica Jones, CDFC manager and DSN’s fundraising manager, said: "We are all very proud of the rich history of CDFC and we are overwhelmed by the generosity of the total raised by the legends! We know the young people in the team are really inspired by the former players - especially having one of them as their coach! The money will go to help fuel their ambitious and their sporting goals in 2020 and beyond.”

The team now boasts more than a dozen members and is run by manager Erica Jones and coached by former Everton Deaf Football Club player Mike Ritchie.

CDFC is open to anyone under 16 years old living in Cheshire or North Wales and linked to deafness; mild, moderate, severe or profound hearing loss, children of deaf adults and friends of those with a hearing loss.

Manager Erica is not only making an appeal for more players to join the team, but the hunt is also on for a new assistant coach too.

The team meets from 10am-11am at Goals Soccer Centre, Bumpers Lane each Saturday and DSN have funding to put the volunteer coach through their Stage 1 FA coaching certificate and through Level 1 British Sign Language also.

For more information about CDFC contact Erica Jones via email: EJones@dsn-online.co.uk or call 0333 220 5050.