Markus donates shirt to Crawley

Wednesday, 26 April 2006
With the season drawing to an end, and nine league titles or cup wins in the bag (our best ever youth season) it was a pleasure to welcome another winner to the Club - Luton Town's Markus Heikkinen.

Markus (pictured above) has had an outstanding season in the Hatters' first year back in the Championship - so much so that he was voted Player of the Year, Internet Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year. (Picture courtesy Luton Town FC).

The Finnish Interntional popped into the Club, prior to going back to his homeland to recover from a foot injury in time for the international friendlies. The reason for his visit was to donate one of his international shirts to the Club, signed and framed as well as a Luton Town shirt.

Markus spent two hours at Crawley, watching youngsters train on the new all-weather pitch, viewing the new changing rooms and a tour of the new facilities. He said he was impressed with all that he saw and that the facilities at Crawley were a world apart from what he trained on back in Finland as a youngster.

Below are a few pictures of the evening.

Markus donates the signed international shirt to
Chairman, Tony Talbot.

Chairman, Tony Tabot, Vice-Chairman Malcolm Bunker and enthusiastic Crawley youth players pose with the
Luton Town star . . .

. . . whilst league winning managers Harry Umradia (left) and
Alan McCabe have their mugshots done as well. Congratulations

to both managers as Harry collects his first league championship whilst Alan, along with Rob Burton have secured their second double in consecutive seasons - the first at the Club. Anglia TV
are hoping to do a television slot next week on their achievement of being unbeaten in two whole seasons! Well done to everyone in this age group.

Two excited youth players have their picture taken with the famous Finn after he watched them training on the new all-weather pitch.

Crawley Green would like to thank Markus for taking the time to come to the Club and for his kind donation of the shirt. The Club also thanks Warren Feeney for his donation of a Northern Ireland shirt and we hope Carlos Edwards can come up trumps with a World Cup shirt against England!