KIND-HEARTED Gordon Ramsay treated a hero football coach and his Down’s syndrome football team to a slap-up Christmas lunch – closing two of his restaurants.
The TV chef got to know former professional footballer Allan Cockram, 59, from Gunnersbury, west London, after he won the Unsung Hero gong at The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards earlier this year.
Gordon, 57, was so inspired that he sent Allan, who founded the Brentford Penguins in 2017 after retiring from professional football in 1996, a video message congratulating him on his victory, which aired in our star-studded rite in September.
After the award ceremony, the father of six contacted the football coach and offered him, the 36-man team and their families a Christmas meal.
The chef closed St Pizza Kitchen and Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen and Bar, both at the same site in Southwark, south London, on Sunday, November 19, to accommodate about 120 people, including the players, their parents and siblings.
They were treated to free pizza, games, a magician and a disco with a DJ.
Gordon, who was unable to attend because he was overseas, also sent a video to the entire team.
He said: “Congratulations to Allan and the Brentford Penguins. My goodness, you smashed it. More importantly, how do we celebrate the good fortune of the season?”
“I wanted to do something special with the team and give them an amazing Sunday lunch.
“Break bread, laugh as a family, but most importantly, honestly, all of you in the room are such an inspiration.
“Take care, smart, and congratulations. “
Allan told the Sun: “It’s completely overwhelming. It was the biggest and the best day out the club has ever had.
“To do this for those kids is just amazing. “
And it’s not like the Penguins — the only soccer club in the country to settle for a child with Down syndrome — are the first brush with a celebrity.
Former Spurs player Allan was surprised with his award by football legend David Beckham and his son Romeo, 21, at an educational consultation at their ground, the GTech Community Stadium in Brentford, west London, before our game.
David, 48, was full of praise for the inspirational the coach who he said almost brought a tear to his eye.
He said at the time: “It’s so inspiring to see what Allan does — giving up his time, coaching these kids when normally they would face so many barriers.
“Instead, they have this and this coach that they care about.
“The love for him, the appreciation, is quite remarkable. The kids are amazing.
“Football brings other people together and it means a lot to us to be here. And for me to have my son here at such a special time.
“I’m looking to motivate my children and therefore seeing Allan, meeting him and seeing what he does for them. . . I can’t do anything that big for my children. At one point, I thought I was going to cry. .
After the unexpected Allan and the entire cheerleading squad, aged between five and 19, David and Romeo, who plays for Brentford FC’s B team, took turns in goal, and the Penguins players led them one by one.
And Allan has big plans for his team: He hopes to one day open a facility for more children.
He says: “We went to Bilbao earlier this year to play a Down’s syndrome team out there, we’ve got new players joining constantly and the dream is to have our own facility where the kids can train and spend more time together.
“We need to integrate older volunteers from the team, players with Down syndrome who have coaches.
“I knew I was the luckiest football coach in the world for coaching those kids week in and week out.
“Our team is unlike any other, so it’s emotional that Gordon recognizes that and makes such an effort to give us all an amazing day.
“I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done. Seeing those kids playing conga in the living room, dancing, laughing, laughing and bonding is the dream of each and every football coach. “
©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 679215 Registered Office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. “The Sun”, “Sun”, “Sun Online” are registered trade marks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided under News Group Newspapers’ Limited’s popular terms and situations in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. To inquire about a license to reproduce material, please visit our distribution site. Check out our online press kit. For other requests, please contact us. To view all of The Sun’s content, please use the site map. Sun’s website is regulated through the Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO).
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/