|  |  |  | | | | FOOTIE FANS HOST HUGE TOURNAMENT | | | | |
| |  Members of the South Coast Englandfans (SCEF) supporters group with a cheque for Leukaemia Research
Release Date: 7th September 2004
Euro 2004 may not have finished in glory for the English football team but a number of South Coast England fans were definitely sad to be coming home from Portugal after hosting a fantastic charity football tournament in aid of English and Portuguese leukaemia charities.
Organised by the South Coast Englandfans (SCEF) supporters group, the event brought in £3,740 each for Leukaemia Research and Portuguese leukaemia charity, Associação Portuguesa Contra a Leucemia.
The tournament (called HUGE) was an outstanding success involving 30 teams of Portuguese and English fans. Held on the day of the Spain vs. Portugal game (20th June), it was the brainchild of Crystal Palace fan Ade Clarke, who lives near Brighton and Tim Murray, a Bradford City fan from Eastleigh, Southampton
“It was a really great day - which summed up the experience of Euro 2004 as a whole," says Ade. "Fans from both countries got together and enjoyed the whole experience - we were truly welcomed with open arms the whole time we were out there. I have to admit that the tournament was won by a local Portuguese side - so they managed to beat us twice this summer!
The English FA has been supporting the event as part of its Allltogethernow initiative - a campaign driven by the England fans, who want to celebrate everything that’s best about the beautiful game. The FA even arranged for the official England Supporters Band to attend and keep everyone entertained - and the event was covered by both Portuguese television and Sky Sports. A charity auction of football memorabilia (donated by the English and Portuguese FAs) was also a great success helping to bring in lots of money for the two leukaemia charities.
“As a lifelong Crystal Palace supporter I was really upset to hear about footballer Geoff Thomas, who has undergone a bone marrow transplant to help him overcome his leukaemia. I decided to propose that any money we raise from the tournament and auction should go to Leukaemia Research, a charity Geoff enthusiastically supports and the Portuguese leukaemia charity, Associação Portuguesa Contra a Leucemia, which is also supporting the event," says Ade.
"I am delighted that we have raised this money to support pioneering research into this terrible disease," he adds.
Tim Murray recently went back out Portugal to present a cheque to the Portuguese charity and to thank the people of Ericeira who had been involved in the tournament.
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