A Macclesfield youth football club has installed a defibrillator to help save lives.

Tytherington Juniors FC have secured the new kit for their new home ground on Rugby Drive Playing Fields, where the nearest defib was once over 10 minutes away from the pitch.

The implementation of the new life-saving unit follows the collapse of Danish professional footballer Christian Eriksen, at Euro 2020, where his life was saved in minutes after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Matt O'Brien, who is Club Secretary and Under 8s Manager at the club which has boys and girls teams, spoke to Macclesfield Nub News about the new life-saving electronic device.

"Last year I completed my FA Level 1 coaching badge and the first aid course scared me enormously," he said.

"The survival rate stats for players that don't have access to a defibrillator is frightening.

"I feel it is my duty as the club's secretary, manager, parent and resident of the Tytherington community to ensure our young players and residents are as safe as possible and have

access to the appropriate safety equipment.

"I believe it should be industry standard for grassroots clubs to have defibrillator's for everyone but this is not the case, which is scary."

Every week in the UK, 12 seemingly fit and healthy young people, aged 35 years and under, die from Young, Sudden Cardiac Death.

There are no outward signs, no warning and a potentially reduced chance of survival without a defibrillator.

For every minute lost, their chance of survival reduces by 10%, this is ten minutes to save their life.

The recommended time for an ambulance to reach a patient is seven minutes, and the amount of defibs in Macc is in the single figures.

The Football Foundation was running a promotion where a defibrillator and housing unit could be applied for, and they were quick to approve Tythy after Matt made his case.

The funding for the project is trickled down from the Premier League.

In getting the new equipment, Matt hopes to be at the precipice of a sea change in community football.

"The pitches we play at do not generally have access to defibrillator's and thus – absolutely imperative that we get more of them in," he added.

"In September 2021, where there will be two-to-three x other teams playing on the pitches at the same time, with potentially 100+ children on the field at the same time across the different pitches, 1/2 parents attending with each child at the games at the same time.

"Not to mention the dog walkers, local residents and other people that access the pitches throughout the week.

For Macclesfield's newest defib, there are no traffic hold ups and the location is easy to access.

The defib will be housed on the container itself, meaning anyone in Tytherington can theoretically have access to it.

It is at the entrance to the site, on the large container that is next to the entrance, agreed as the most practical place for the unit.

This will give access to not only the players on the pitch but also parents and locals will have access to this equipment.

It is part of a string of good news for the club, which has been serving our town since 1985. They have big plans for their 35th birthday.

"We are just in the process of finalising our 2022 Grassroots Football Festival after last year's success," Matt also said.

"It will now be known as the TythyFives, with the date looking like being Saturday 18th June 2022 at Macc Rugby Club on Priory Lane.

"We also hope to hold a charity race night next year - along with some other events to mark the celebration, but are currently working on finding venues.

"Tytherington Juniors are currently on the lookout for new players for a number of age groups, please contact us via Facebook @tjfc1987 for more information.

"In particular we have some spaces in our Free Grassroots Football Academy, which offers free football to all children in Macclesfield aged 4, 5 & 6.

"We have just created our first ever Under 7s team on the back of this fantastic free initiative, and this group are also looking for players aged 6 to play in this team going forward - they are due to start playing in the Mid Cheshire Youth Football League from Saturday, September 11th and subs are free for U7s this season!

"Huge thanks again to Macclesfield Town Council for their support in enabling us to offer free football to all the young 4, 5 & 6 year old children in Macclesfield."

"Most of our teams play in the Mid-Cheshire Youth Football League for this coming season, we are a fast-growing, friendly and exciting club.

"If your player is looking for a team or new club and wants to make new friends - then look no further.

"Please feel free to message the club and we can hopefully arrange for your player to pop along down to our next training session."

For more information about Tytherington Juniors and contact details, please head to their Facebook page.

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