Bristol’s SPOTY Unsung Hero winner on meeting Gary Lineker, grassroots football and ‘doing it for Knowle’

A Bristol man who was honoured by the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards with the Unsung Hero award hopes to expand the city’s youth disability football scene. Mike Alden was diagnosed with brittle bone disease at four years old but has spent most of his life around the sport he loves.

Mike was put forward for the award by members of the Redcatch Community Garden to recognise his dedication to fundraising for the community and the club he founded and chairs, The Park Knowle FC. The Knowle West native has been a mainstay in south Bristol’s football scene having previously been involved for 25 years with, what was then called, Broadwalk FC.

“We got the Park Knowle FC off the ground in 2012 and I’ve been the chairman ever since. I was one of four people involved in starting up Broadwalk before moving on,” He explained.

“It is hard work running a grassroots football club and it’s only become harder in recent years. Covid almost made us pack the club in - people do not realise the mountains of work behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis to keep the club running.

“In October I was told I had been nominated for the award but didn’t think much of it. I was then told by someone at the BBC that I’d made the final shortlist and received an award for this. It was in November when I was told I’d be in Manchester for the live award show along with the other final seven nominees.”

Spending the night rubbing shoulders with the country’s sporting royalty seemed impossible to Mike when he was first diagnosed with brittle bone disease at four. Despite the diagnosis, he kept playing football until a particularly bad break in his 20s. The 56-year-old claims to have broken almost every bone in his body due to the disease but his love for football has been left untouched.

Park Knowle FC is a family-run club, with Mike’s children and other relations working behind the scenes and as coaches. On Wednesday (December 21), the Alden family travelled to Manchester for the ceremony and a panel of judges agreed that Mike’s work was deserving of the national award - to his surprise.

“When they were announcing the winner, because my hearing isn’t too good, I was leaning forward on my chair trying to hear which of the other nominees had won the award. I didn’t for a second think it would be me, I was just there to make up the numbers. Luckily I had some handles on my mobility scooter to hold onto to stop me from falling off my chair.

“It was surreal when they called my name and I was suddenly on stage shaking hands with Gary Lineker and everyone else. The last few days have been a whirlwind, my feet haven’t touched the ground. To be among all the other great people nominated for the award, and spending the evening chatting with all those famous faces, it was great - and it was great to do it for Knowle.”

“I am hoping people can see the effort that goes into these local clubs. No one gets into grassroots football for praise or gratification. Next, we would love to get a disability youth team together for Bristol but it’s a challenge due to the lack of facilities. When I was younger, I always wanted to play despite my diagnosis and I was fortunate to be able to for a while.

“I would love to start teams from as young as 10 for disabled young people in the city - we know there are kids out there who would love to play but are not able to. We need to do the proper homework and make a plan for how they can get involved with the sport I love.”

Park Knowle FC relies on fundraisers to run from day-to-day, to view its upcoming events visit www.facebook.com/theparkknowlefc/