Players and staff from League 1 team, Tranmere Rovers FC, have visited RAF Shawbury, for a training day with a difference.
The club visited the north Shropshire unit on Monday 26 July for a day of RAF Physical Education training followed by 6 a side matches against the Station team. The event was organised by Corporal Paul Parry of the Physical Education Flight through his father, Les Parry. Les is the manager of the League 1 side and was getting the players ready for a friendly match against local League 2 side, Shrewsbury Town, at the Greenhouse Meadow on Saturday 31 July, and the forthcoming League season which begins on 7 August.
The day began with the team getting an overview of the types of training completed at the unit, explaining the output of helicopter pilots and crews for all 3 services along with all Air Traffic Control staff for the RAF and Royal Navy. The players then tried out the high ropes course and leadership exercises in the Sports Hangar before having lunch in the Junior Ranks Mess. After lunch the players then completed a gruelling hour and a half of Battlefield Physical Training, including hill runs in full military web belts before returning to the Sports Hangar. To give the RAF footballers a chance the players completed circuit training in between 6 a side football matches against tri-service personnel from the Station football team.
The whole day was a huge success and an excellent link between military training and that of a professional football team. Cpl Parry said, 'working with professional athletes was a fantastic experience for the whole of the PEd Flt and personally, as a Tranmere fan, to assist in their preparation for the new season was incredible'.