A FOOTPATH in Kenley appears to have become a dumping ground for dog mess.

Jeffrey Keys, who has lived in Furbisher Close for 20 years, said the situation had spiralled out of control with very little action from Croydon Council to clean it up.

He said: "The footpath leads on to Betts Mead recreation ground and the Kenley Common which provides bags for people to put their dogs' waste in.

"But for some reason, dog walkers feel like the footpath behind my house is a suitable place to dump it all.

"Luckily it doesn't smell too much but it is very unhygienic and unsightly. People don't want to take the bags home and put them in the bin because they don't get collected for two weeks so they just think, 'Oh, I'll throw it here'."

A Croydon Council spokesman said it tries to educate dog walkers about clearing up after their pets.

He added: "When issues such as this are brought to our attention we try and spend time talking to dog walkers and explaining how they should properly dispose of this waste."

JON LEWIS says he is at Surrey to win things – and he wants this year to be the year those dreams turn into reality.

Lewis has been a consistent performer over the years for Gloucestershire, twice being the highest English qualified wicket-taker in the County Championship.

He also helped Gloucestershire to a string of one-day success in the late 1990s and early 2000s and played one Test match for England in 2006, but two of the major domestic trophies have eluded him – something he is keen to address this year at Surrey.

He said: "I have achieved a lot in my career and statistics are great.

"But I have not won the County Championship or the Twenty20 and they are trophies I want to get my hands on. The whole reason I joined Surrey was to compete in all forms and to win things and that is the challenge for me."

Last year was a traumatic year for the club following the death of promising batsman Tom Maynard, with Surrey eventually escaping relegation from Division One late on in the season.

But this year the club has loftier ambitions and following a good pre-season in South Africa, Surrey are ready to fight again on all fronts, with many people in the cricketing world tipping them for honours this season.

That is largely due to the club's winter signings, having been boosted by the arrival of new captain Graeme Smith and experienced duo Vikram Solanki and Gary Keedy.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting will also be joining Surrey in June on a two-month deal to help provide cover while Smith captains South Africa at the ICC Champions Trophy.

And Lewis said that such high profile signings show the ambition of the club.

"They are two absolutely unbelievable signings," he said.

"These guys are fantastic cricketers and my first impression of Graeme [Smith] is that he is an exceptional guy.

"When he speaks, people listen and he is a real leader. He is well respected within the game and it is just exciting for me as a cricketer to be playing with these guys, who have been two of the best players over the last ten to 15 years."

Meanwhile, at the age of 38, Lewis says his own experience will be key to helping him fulfil his role within the squad.

He said: "I see it as a massively important part of my role to help the younger players within the squad. I have been lucky to have played for many years and play with some great players and if I can pass some of that on to the younger players, then that is all for the better."

ONE of my favourite TV shows is Come Dine With Me. The wife and I watch it a lot, not that I'm very good at cooking, but it's just the quirkiness of the characters on display.

Would I like to go on the show? Probably not – they look through your house, slaughter your cooking and entertainment!

It just seems a bit bizarre but I do find it amusing. It shows you what different people in this country are like.

One of my favourite episodes was when a woman brought out a bottle of chilli sauce from her bag and said to the bloke his food was a bit bland.

I actually met that bloke because it was filmed in Blackpool and apparently he threw the woman out of his house and the programme had to edit it out.

He did a meal where all the other guests said it was nice and then she does that. You've got to laugh, haven't you?

If I had to choose four people to star on my Come Dine With Me so I could meet them, I'd have Winston Churchill first.

Then I'd have Richard Branson to ask him a few questions. And I've heard it costs more than £100,000 to go on his new spaceship to the moon or something – I wouldn't be doing that, I like to have my feet on the ground. I think I'd also have Simon Cowell and if I had to choose someone from the football world, it would be Jose Mourinho.

I think I'd create a rather interesting programme there but I'm not sure about my cooking skills.

And the other show I like is Britain's Got Talent.

It's just come back and I think there was a bricklayer on there the other day who just came on and sang.

At first it went wrong but then he absolutely belted it the second time and it was brilliant.

It's fantastic to see someone from a building site can sing like that and quite amazing how their lives might change.

I remember last year with the woman and her dog, it just goes to show what we're like in Britain and it makes you proud in one way that we're so diverse.

And it also makes you think about how lucky some people are. It is about your talent or is it being in the right place at right time?

People in Big Brother, they're all a bit eccentric.

If you can sing and play the guitar and you go on the show and it changes your life around, it's just remarkable.

YOU'VE done it! Just seven weeks after the launch of a campaign to help buy brave toddler George Tappenden the wheelchair he needs to change his life, Advertiser readers have come up trumps.

George's family have reached the £21,000 target needed to buy the Snap Dragon chair for the 18-month-old from Addiscombe.

Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) just before Christmas, George cannot stand, sit up unaided or play properly with his little sister.

His mother Lucy Frost, 33, and father, Anthony Tappenden, launched a huge fundraising drive to buy the chair, which will give George the ability to enjoy the life of a typical, happy toddler.

Now, thanks to your fundraising efforts, George will be in his chair in as little as three months' time.

Lucy, of Wydehurst Road, Addiscombe, said: "We want to thank all the Advertiser readers who donated, all the people who put on raffles or quiz nights, the Axis Foundation [who donated £3,000] and the Annabelle Rose Foundation for their huge donations, and just everyone who helped in Addiscombe and around Shirley.

"It's hard to believe that it was just before Christmas that we were told George had SMA, and when we were told how much the chair cost it felt like we were never going to get there – but we did.

"What is very hard as a mother is knowing that George will get worse, and everything he ever needs or uses is going to have to be designed to him. That's why I hope people continue to be so kind and support us.

"We don't expect people to keep donating as we know times are tough and they've already been so generous, but we will be putting on auctions and a ball and that kind of thing."

Lucy cannot wait to receive the chair, which George was given the opportunity to try out last month.

CROYDON Harriers' young athletes kept the club's track & field winning streak alive last Sunday April 28) with a hard-fought win at the UK development Young Athletics League Southern First Division at Bracknell.

The U17 and U20 squad of men and women made it three wins in as many weeks for Croydon, triumphing on 544 points, with Brighton their nearest challengers on 508 in the six-club fixture in the league's third tier.

The result follows the senior team's recent success in the Southern League.

It was the women's section of Sunday's team who led the way with four event victories and three events maximums.

Skipper Tamara Reid took the spoils in the U20W discus with a 30.83m effort and the U20W shot put (9.38m). Emma Fossett provided strong support in the U20W B discus (21.29m) to ensure an event maximum and then shone in the javelin with a lifetime best of 33.16m to go 17th in the UK rankings.

On the track there were wins for Ashleigh Clarke (U20W 100m, 12.4s) and Steve Lawrence (U20W 800m, 2:25.1), and both were backed up by Rochelle Roye (U20W B 100m, 13.2s) and Emily Howe (U20W B 800m, 2:25.1) to gain maximum points.

Lawrence (2.10m) and Roye (2.30m) then teamed up in the pole vault to gain two victories, before Eleanor Smith-Hahn scooped a double win in the U20W 400m (59.6s) and U17W 200m (26.1s).

In the men's section, it was the sprinters who led the way, with Edwin Miles winning the U17 men's 100m in 11.5secs and Daniel Luke triumphed in 22.8secs in the 200m. On the field, Tife Ajibade leapt to 5.72m in the U17 men's long jump to gain a narrow win.

In the middle distance events, Patrick Lucas (1.58.1, U20M 800m) & Peter Chambers (U20M 1500m and 3000m) both gained runners-up spots in their highly contested events.

The U20 men's 4x100m team (44.8secs) and the U20 women's 4x400m team rounded off the day with well-earned victories.

This weekend the U15 and U13 boys and girls take part in the lower age group version of this league, opening their campaign at Croydon Arena against Herne Hill, Dorset, Winchester and Southampton.

IN MY work with children and families in the last 15 years, the most common question I'm asked is how to help children calm down. Parents feel out of control as they are unsure of the best way to act and respond and often end up feeling stressed or angry themselves.

When we experience strong negative emotions, we breathe faster, our heart beats faster, and our system is flooded with stress hormones. We stop thinking straight. Whether the big emotion is anger, anxiety or sadness, the trick is to get the heart rate and breathing lowered so that thinking becomes rational again.

Here are some examples of calming activities:

1 If you're calm enough, hug your child. Breathe deeply and slowly as you do.

2 To slow breathing down, let your child blow bubbles using bubble mixture. They just can't do this if they're hyperventilating.

3 Tell them a story or describe an imaginary journey that they can visualise.

4 Let your child do something physical such as jumping on the trampoline, playing keepy-uppy with a balloon or a ball, doing angry star jumps or having a giant stretch on the floor.

5 Ask them to draw a picture of how they're feeling so they don't have to find the words immediately. This is especially good for anxious feelings. Or let them scribble madly.

6 Do sensory activities like play dough, finger painting or playing with a sink of warm bubbly water.

7 Let them listen to music. Give them some space.

8 Listen to them. Children are allowed to be angry, sad and anxious. Ask them to tell you what they're feeling and why. Don't try and reason with them and fix it when the feelings are still big.

9 Squeeze a pillow or teddy tightly, or stroke and cuddle it.

10 Talk their feelings into the bear's fur or the pillow so no-one needs to hear it until they're ready to share it.

Calming down is the necessary first step in resolving any issue. It is the most basic of emotional skills but can be so difficult to do. Support your child, give them space and time to learn to calm down, first with your help and gradually more independently.

WHEN 14-year-old Shannon Donovan collapsed at a cheerleading event two years ago, it soon became clear she was one of very few teenagers who develop heart disease at such a young age.

Inevitably she had to give up her performances, and because the condition is much rarer in youngsters she was left feeling incredibly lonely.

However, refusing to be defeated, Shannon, who lives in Waddon, threw herself into working for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). She became one of their youngest reporters, creating videos and writing blog articles that encourage teenagers to share their experiences of the disease.

And last week Shannon, now 16, was presented with the BHF's Heart Hero award at the organisation's annual general meeting in London.

Shannon was diagnosed with a heart condition called CPVT, which means she has an irregular heart rhythm that can lead her to collapse or go into cardiac arrest.

She said: "After being diagnosed, I had to give up cheerleading and felt really alone. But getting involved with the BHF has allowed me to make new friends who also live with heart conditions.

"As a BHF young reporter I want to make sure that other young people and heart patients know about the support that's available – this isn't something people have to deal with alone.

"It's really nice to be recognised with the award and I'm determined to keep spreading the work of the BHF so that more people can get the same support I have."

Shannon was also recognised for her leading role at the BHF's Teen Think Tank event, which the charity uses to consult young people on the heart health issues that are important to them.

This year, participants called on the BHF to continue to campaign on issues including a ban on tobacco advertising, putting defibrillators in public places, and running emergency lifesaving training in schools.

Among those Shannon has helped is a girl named Lucy, who was born with a complex heart disease and required a transplant when she was six.

Her mother, Bev Pearson, said: "Through the BHF's events, Shannon has really brought my daughter out of her shell.

"Shannon has made her feel worthwhile as it's been quite a lonely journey for her."

Jenna Hall, head of children and young people at the BHF, said: "Shannon has made an incredible contribution. The videos and content she has created as well as her involvement at our events have encouraged other young people battling heart conditions to try new things, make new friends and start to talk about their condition."

PLANS to prevent the parking mayhem in Purley predicted once the hospital reopens have stagnated, according to community leaders.

Tarsem Flora, chairman of the Purley and Woodcote Residents Association, has spent many months drawing up alternative proposals for sites suitable as extra parking spaces in the town.

The three options – using space at the Purley Resource Centre, developing the green space behind the hospital or reserving spaces at the public multi-storey car park in the town centre – have received little encouragement from either the council or the NHS. Now Mr Flora has suggested the derelict Sainsbury's site, in High Street, could be used as a temporary solution.

"No one has done anything with the site for years. Sainsbury's left and some developers put plans in last year but nothing has happened," he said.

"It is big enough to act as a car park when the hospital opens while we wait for a long-term solution."

However, a spokesman for Croydon Council, which owns the freehold of the site, said: "The leaseholder is a company called Polaska Assets, with which the council is in discussion with a view to bringing the former supermarket back into useful life."

They denied that Purley would have any problems with the estimated 3,000 weekly hospital visitors, who will only be provided with 40 parking spaces.

"When refurbishment works are completed, the hospital itself will be able to provide a limited degree of parking," the spokesman said.

"In addition to that, parking in Purley is amply provided, both in on-street bays and the multi-storey car park, which has in excess of 400 spaces and is rarely full, meaning visitors to the hospital would usually be able to find a space."

A spokesman for Croydon Health Services NHS Trust also denied that progress in finding a parking solution had stagnated.

"We are continuing to listen to residents and local partners as the development at the hospital progresses to ensure we make the best use of on-site space for parking," the spokesman said.

"Our in-house estates department is also exploring available nearby options for car parking, and we will share our findings with Croydon Council and local residents to demonstrate how they complement local community parking plans."

Purley Hospital's grand reopening is due to take place in September.

The Brighton Road hospital's outpatients department is getting an £11 million makeover, which will allow for 90,000 outpatient appointments a year and mean 80 per cent of the south of the borough's healthcare needs will be dealt with by the new facility.

A CARE home owner claims his controversial expansion plans are "essential" and has hit out at those opposing the proposal.

The hearing into the application by owners of the high-dependency Highfield House, in Higher Drive, Kenley – who want to expand it from 27 to 49 bedrooms – was held at Fairfield Halls on Wednesday.

The proposal was rejected by Croydon Council in December last year because of the cumulative impact on the local area.

An initial application in 2011 was also refused on appeal. As a result, the owner, John Whelan, appealed again, and the plan was referred to the Bristol-based Planning Inspectorate for a final decision.

As part of the process, the inspectorate called all interested parties together to hear all the evidence available.

The meeting was attended by the care home's development agents, council officers, leaders of the nearby Foxley Residents' Association, local councillor Steve O'Connell and members of the public.

Following the meeting, the inspector also visited the site to help inform his decision, which will be returned in the next three to six weeks.

Mr Whelan, who provides care for people with serious neurological problems, has said the opposition shows the lack of interest in the wider public to provide facilities for those who really need it.

"The extension is essential," he said. "There are only 27 of these high-dependency beds in the old Croydon PCT area and they are full up with people on the waiting list.

"No one in the area provides this kind of specialist care and we are in great need of the facilities. The opponents do not even factor this into their argument, they just don't want the building here full stop.

"It's a feature of wider society that they do not want to look at these kinds of problems. If you have a terrible accident and need full-time care – who is going to look after you?"

However, Simon Brew, the honorary secretary of the Foxley Residents' Association, said the local residents had received many broken promises from the care home owners.

He said: "We oppose it for legal and emotional reasons. You cannot have a facility this size in a residential area, it goes against all planning laws.

"They claim there will only ever be a maximum of five cars parked on the road, but there are already more than that before the extension, which will have twice the impact. It's a totally inappropriate site for the development and we are very passionate about opposing it.

"Obviously the Planning Inspectorate's decision is the last and we were very happy with the process, but if it is approved on this appeal we will be pretty hacked off."

I'M GOING to be writing a column for the paper over the summer so I thought I'd introduce myself.

I'm Rory, I'm a batsman and wicketkeeper for Surrey and I also play for Banstead whenever I have some spare time.

I've been at Banstead since I was six. I think it was my old man's choice. I think it was partly because it was the nearest Premier Division club to where we live in Epsom and also because they have a reputation for having a good youth set-up. I was six but I ended up playing for the U10s because it was the youngest team at the time, but I remember being tiny compared to everyone else.

My brothers Dan and Liam also played for Banstead and Liam is currently the second team captain.

I live with my parents, and Layla the dog and Rafa the cat – named after Nadal not Benitez. My mum chose the name, but I'm not sure she likes Nadal for his tennis ability.

As well as cricket, I like football and rugby. I support Fulham but I'm a bit obsessed with Borussia Dortmund at the moment; they have been doing well and I play as them on FIFA quite a bit.

Other interesting things? I'm 22 but I'd never really drunk coffee until this week. Jason Roy forced me to have a cup and it's actually okay with milk and sugar. Only now I've drunk three cups in a day...

Anyway, back to the cricket.

I thought Surrey played pretty well to get the draw against Sussex, maybe I should have scored a few more runs though.

I got a few decent balls in the first innings and wasn't too disappointed with the 32 but I don't know how I managed to get out in the second innings.

After getting 115 in the first innings against Somerset I guess the only way was down, maybe I shouldn't have set the bar so high in the first game!

I'm involved in the second team's game this week; it's a good way of keeping my form going, maybe getting a few runs and possibly do a bit of wicketkeeping as well. I haven't done a lot of wicketkeeping recently – and I do love to catch that ball!

VILLAGERS demand action over a dangerous road where pedestrians are clipped by cars, vehicles crash into walls and drivers conduct regular slanging matches.

The half-mile stretch of Hayes Lane, which runs parallel to Park Road, was originally built for a horse and cart and is far narrower than most residential roads.

Mike Street, who has lived on the lane for more than 30 years, has decided to galvanise the community and put pressure on Croydon Council after he was hit on the arm by a car driving too fast.

"It has been an accident waiting to happen for donkey's years," he said.

"It's something many people have been trying to find an answer to for years.

"The pedestrian safety issue is now a ridiculous situation.

"More and more people walk along the lane and more and more drivers use it too. Various people have been hit, myself included, but unless there is blood and an ambulance, nothing happens."

At a Kenley and District Residents' Association (Kendra) meeting last week, Chris Stanley, the group's acting chair, and Mr Street brought up the issue and suggested the road became one-way – receiving support from the majority of members.

Mr Stanley told the Advertiser: "We started trying to tackle the issue about 18 months ago and have had site meetings with a highways engineer from the council.

"We thought of all sorts of options like traffic lights, chicanes, humps and even a road closure, but a one-way system seems the most feasible.

"The majority of Kendra supported the plan but there are some important concerns, like the one-way system possibly making people drive faster and more traffic on Park Road.

"We need to button down on these worries and then go to the council and tell them to open up a public consultation over whether the road should be made one-way."

Mr Street added: "The number of times we have had to come outside and ask a pair of drivers to stop yelling at each other over who will give way is a nightmare. There is no respect.

"When we get this plan to the council, it will take the best part of this year to do the consultation.

"I wait with bated breath."

NOT many people would recognise the voices of an Australian soap actress, an X Files star and Billy Elliott.

But Phil Atkinson, from Addiscombe, did – or at least two of them – and his celebrity knowledge has just bagged him £20,000.

The 41-year-old correctly guessed the identity of a secret celebrity in the Heart FM radio competition Who's on Heart.

Since January, thousands of Heart listeners have been guessing which famous people have been saying the words 'Who's on Heart', with £10,000 up for grabs for the first person to identify one name, £20,000 for the first person to guess a second name and a massive £125,000 for naming all three celebrities.

Who's on Heart launched in January and five weeks later, one listener correctly named The X Files' star David Duchovny as one of the celebrities.

Then last week, Phil called in and spoke to Heart's afternoon presenter Nick Snaith on-air and made his three guesses: Home and Away actress Ada Nicodemou, David Duchovny and British actor Jamie Bell.

He was then given the news he wanted to hear – he had correctly named one more celebrity and bagged £20,000 in the process.

Phil told the Advertiser after his win: "I was in shock really. I was just running around the house. I couldn't believe it.

"When I told my girlfriend Jane she didn't believe me. I had to make her go on the website just to prove to her I'd won.

"I did a bit of research and had a look at the list of wrong entries, but this was the first competition I've ever entered so I'm still in shock.

"I've booked a villa in the South of France with all my friends in the summer so that will be a party atmosphere. I'm also going to bring all my friends to Coombe Lodge on the weekend to celebrate.

"One of the best bits was meeting Emma Bunton [Heart FM host and former Spice Girl]. She's great."

On Monday, the civil servant and his girlfriend were treated to a champagne breakfast with breakfast show presenters Bunton and Jamie Theakston.

Phil knows which name he guessed correctly but is keeping it a secret, so he does not go anyway to revealing the final mystery voice.

AN ELDERLY cyclist who was knocked off her bike on the Brighton Road in mid-rush hour has told how "more than 50 cars" merely drove past her as she struggled to move or breathe.

Anne Gasnola, of Biddulph Road, South Croydon, was cycling back from her morning swim in Purley Pool at around 9.15am last Tuesday when a car pulled sharply out in front of her into the cycle lane by the Royal Oak Centre.

This forced the 67-year-old to slam on her brakes – throwing her face-first over her handlebars on to the road.

"I was very badly winded and couldn't breathe or speak," Anne told the Advertiser.

"My helmet was broken and my jacket ripped. I couldn't move and was just aware of all these cars driving past me while I lay there.

"Eventually after five minutes, a man who saw the accident from the other side of the road came back around and helped pick me up with a lady who was on her way to work.

"I think it's so disgusting that people do not stop to help. Once, ten years ago, I had another bike accident and was knocked out on the pavement – apparently people just walked over me."

Of last week's incident, she said: "The police and the ambulance came. I was treated for my elbow, which had all the skin scraped off it, but there was nothing the police could do because I could not see the registration number of the car."

In a decade of cycling, Mrs Gasnola said she has had four accidents – three of which have happened on that stretch of road.

"Something really needs to be done about cycle safety, or at least about the standard of people's driving. I am scared if I have another accident, it will be more serious," she added.

"I have a feeling this kind of thing would not happen in New Addington – people there would stop to help. Here, people just cannot be bothered and don't care.

"There is a total lack of community spirit – people don't want to get involved and have to give evidence in court against a dangerous driver or something."

The injured cyclist, who works as a beauty therapist, said: "I think that area is getting worse with more and more traffic. All drivers need to do is stay out of the cycle lanes."

FORMER Crystal Palace striker Leon McKenzie has revealed he would like to have a Croydon-based company sponsor him for his professional boxing debut in June.

The 34-year-old, son of former British and European champion Clinton McKenzie and nephew of three-time world champion Duke McKenzie, admits he cannot wait to get in the ring after training hard for the last couple of months.

"The fight is nine weeks away but I've been into eight weeks of camp so far," McKenzie said.

"I've got a few interesting people on board and a lot of my family too.

"Duke is training me while my cousin Leroy is motivating me – there are around five or six McKenzies involved really.

"I'm really enjoying the training and I can't wait to have this opportunity to go in the ring now.

"When you look at everything that I've been through, it's unbelievable really.

"I can only take each fight as it comes, but I am going to be well prepared and I really can't wait."

And the fight, set for the end of June, will be held at the same venue where his father won his first fight back in 1976.

"I won't know who I'm facing until the last four weeks before the fight, but that's down to my manager," said McKenzie, who left Palace in 2000 before going onto play most notably for Peterborough United, Norwich City and Coventry City.

"I'll be getting someone who is super-middleweight, and we're going to hold the fight on Friday, June 28, at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

"That is where my dad made his professional boxing debut, which has sentimental value to me as well. I am confident a few footballers I know will be coming down to watch as well."

Now, McKenzie, who scored more than 100 goals in his career, is looking for one more sponsor to help him achieve further aims and ambitions as he begins a new chapter of his life in the boxing ring.

"I've got two sponsors so far but I just want that third one to pop up in regards with what I'm trying to do," said McKenzie, who released his hard-hitting autobiography My Fight With Life in November.

"One is called twentyfour7 Football magazine, which is owned by Darragh MacAnthony, the Peterborough United chairman.

"He is my main sponsor for the fight and I've got another smaller sponsor from a marketing company."

And the Croydon-born man would like a Croydon-based company to get in touch if they would like to be part of his amazing life journey and feature heavily in both local and national media.

"Croydon-wise, I am just hoping someone comes out of the woodwork to be my final sponsor," he said.

"I would like to get someone from within the sporting area, and I'm not asking for loads of money either – maybe a couple of grand, not like £10,000-£20,000.

"It's literally a couple of grand to help with my training and my travelling where I can continue to focus and progress further.

"You have your big companies on the high street who cover your Amir Khans, but there might be a smaller brand that might think it's a nice story with my life and it would definitely be worth doing.

"I think with the amount of media attention I'm about to get over the next couple of months, it would be a good idea for any company to help out with."

Asked whether someone from Selhurst Park might be interested in helping out, McKenzie believes anything can be made possible through football but he does not want to step on anyone's toes at an important time of the season.

"To get someone on board from Palace? I don't know," he admitted.

"Ian Holloway is a good man and he respects me a lot, but it's not a good time to ask him or anyone at the club as they're going through the play-offs at the moment.

"All I know is, through football it's possible.

"There is one former professional player I know who has a sponsor and they give him a monthly wage while he trains for boxing.

"I'm not looking for a monthly wage, but for the sake of a couple of grand, I don't think I'm asking for too much in terms of a sponsor.

"People have to remember I don't play football anymore, so any help would be greatly appreciated."

If you're interested in sponsoring Leon and having your company's name showcased on a wider scale, e-mail our sports reporter mark.ritson@essn media.co.uk or, if you're on Twitter, you can tweet him @LeonMckenzie1