England midfielder Mason Mount celebrated his debut as manager this week when his team, Wishes United FC, defeated the Mascots 32-2 at St George's Park. This was no ordinary match. The winning 11 were children with serious health conditions who had been treated like Premier League footballers for a once-in-a-lifetime two-day experience ahead of June's World Cup.
A Special Day for Brave Children
Supported by Manchester United and England star Luke Shaw, and with England star-turned Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp managing the losing side made up of mascots from top clubs, Mount said: "I'm blown away by what we created." One of his team's stars, Max Shepherd from Aylesbury, enjoyed a double celebration as the win came on his 10th birthday. Max, who has been in remission from leukemia for two years, said: "It's the best birthday I've ever had. When I grow up, I want to be a footballer. This has given me a taste of how cool it would be."
Behind the Scenes of the Experience
As part of the experience, the Wishes United squad stayed at the Hilton hotel. They held a press conference like top footballers, had a team talk, were individually chauffeur-driven to venues, and trained with real UEFA coaches before the match, overseen by a UEFA referee. At St George's Park, the Football Association's elite national football centre, hosts included TalkSport presenter Olivia Buzalgo and Capital Radio presenter Sonny Jay. Former Lioness Lianne Sanderson and Sky Sports' Mark McAdam provided commentary.
Mount, who funded the event, said: "These children have been through so much; this is a moment of joy. They threw themselves into it. There were no worries at all. For two days they didn't have to think of anything else, just be in the moment and enjoy it." Watched by his mother Debbie, father Tony, and brother Lewis, Mount added: "Football has given me so much. They brought me up to be a person that would always give back and help other people."
Impact on the Children and Families
Make-A-Wish grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Jason Suckley, CEO of Make-A-Wish UK, said: "Wishes are about joy, and there's no better example of that than today." Mount echoed that sentiment: "As a child, this would have been my wish for sure. I had a dream of playing football for my country, and I'm so fortunate that it happened. These kids, through difficult and tough times, haven't had the same opportunities, so it's amazing they've been able to come and see it all."
Birthday boy Max agreed: "The last few years have been really tough, so it's been nice to have a celebration today." His mother Laura, 37, a manager, said: "Max is football mad. He finds it really hard to make friends; he didn't go to school for two years because he was going through chemo then had a bone marrow transplant. To watch him make friends here has been wonderful, so emotional. I'm so proud."
Finley Spurgeon, 9, from Poole, was also having the time of his life. His mother Anu April, 36, a civil servant, said Finley was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis shortly after birth and was told his life expectancy was 45. She added: "Thanks to new drugs, the future looks brighter these days." However, his condition means he must avoid situations where he could catch bacterial infections. Anu April said of his experience: "He didn't want to go to sleep on day one because then the day would be over, but then day two was even better."
Robyn Griffin-Briggs, 13, from Oldham, finds out tomorrow if she has the all-clear after treatment for a brain tumour. Her father Simon, 36, a scaffolder, said: "Specsavers found her brain tumour last November, and she's had surgery and proton beam treatment to remove it. It's damaged her optic nerves, so she's blind in her left eye and only has half the vision in her right, but she still comes to every Man U match with me." Her mother Abbie, 36, a nursery practitioner, added: "This wish has been amazing. I cannot thank everyone enough. Every single second we've been treated like royalty."
Reactions from the Stars
Even though his Mascots team lost, Jamie Redknapp gave a rousing appraisal: "It's been an absolute pleasure to be the Mascots' manager. It's been a really special afternoon watching the children live out their dreams as footballers. They should be really proud of themselves." Luke Shaw, who played for the senior England national team between 2019 and 2022, earning 36 caps and scoring five goals, said: "The children are just so incredible. What a special day. I'm so happy I get to be a part of it. We know how much it means to them. Seeing what everyone has put into it, what Mason has put into it, I'm very proud of him." Praising Mount's managerial debut, he added: "You never know where it could lead!"
Mount, whose career has been injury-plagued, said the day belonged to Wishes United FC. Meeting the brave children had changed his outlook: "It puts things like injury into perspective. I'd have them all on the squad if I was England manager. Today was really emotional. When I go to sleep tonight, I'll remember the look on the kids' faces."
