RAF Footballers Win Chance to Train Like England!

Team will sleep, travel and train like the England squad at St George's Park, thanks to Samsung!

25th September 2014, London, UK –A squad of RAF personnel who play together in their air base football team have won the chance to go behind the scenes at St. George's Park and train like the England squad, thanks to Samsung UK.

Samsung UK, FA Partner and Official Consumer Electronics & Smartphone Supplier to the England squad, asked competition applicants to tell them 'why their team deserves to win', giving examples of team-spirit and dedication.

RAF Valley FC, stationed on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, were chosen as winners by Samsung from hundreds of entries across the UK.

A team composed of fast-jet training pilots, air-traffic controllers, flight operations assistants and search-and-rescue helicopter crew members, RAF Valley FC will visit the state-of-the-art St. George's Park facility in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, next Tuesday and Wednesday [September 30, October 1].

The players will be put through their paces at the FA's National Football Centre's various areas, gaining a revealing insight into how the England squad prepares for big matches and tournaments.

Their 'Train like England' experience will include:

• Travel on the Official England Team Bus from their RAF Base in Anglesey
• An overnight stay at The Hilton at St. George's Park
• Tour of England's training facilities at St. George's Park
• Training Sessions with FA experts: Steve Kemp (England Senior Men's Physiotherapist) and Naomi Datson (Head of Exercise Science)
• Use of St. George's Park facilities including the David Beckham pitch, Training Hill and Hydrotherapy Suite

RAF Valley FC captain Finlay Hanslip [corr] said: “The team is made up of a great bunch of lads who put in 150% to training and matches every week, even after having completed 13-14 hour shifts in their normal military jobs!

“We've struggled occasionally in recent years due to players being deployed on missions around the world. So we'll really benefit from this opportunity to train at world-class facilities.

“Huge thanks go to Samsung and the FA for providing us with the opportunity to come down to St. George's Park, and for what should be a fantastic experience for the lads.

“We cannot wait for the England bus to roll up at Base next week!”

Each member of the winning team will also receive a Samsung Galaxy S5 handset pre-loaded with state-of the-art health features, including a heart rate monitor and Samsung's 'S Health' app, identical to that provided to the England squad travelling to the World Cup in Brazil.

Russell Taylor, Vice President, Corporate Marketing, Samsung Electronics UK, said: “Samsung has a long association with football, both in the UK and globally, and we're delighted that this partnership adds to our on-going commitment to all football fans.

“The winning team will be able to follow in the footsteps of the England squad, experiencing a day in the life of the players when they visit the Centre ahead of big matches and tournaments.

“Samsung's technology including the S Health App will be integrated into the teams' training to showcase the benefits it can bring. With the App it's easy to track and compare your fitness levels - including your condition, how far you run, calories burned and your speed.”

Dave Reddin [corr], Head of Performance at the FA, said: “We are delighted to welcome England partner Samsung to St. George's Park to be able to give England fans the opportunity to experience the National Football Centre.

“Our world class pitches, cutting edge sports medicine, science, training & recovery facilities give all our England players the perfect environment for performance & I'm thrilled we can give England fans a taste of what it's like to train just like England at St. George's Park.”

Visit www.facebook.com/samsungfootball for more information

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OPS

-Winning team RAF Valley FC, based on the Isle of Anglesey

-Samsung FA Logo

Notes to Editors:

Samsung's Football Legacy

Since 2005, Samsung has been involved in some of the most prominent and visible football properties. Current relationships include: Chelsea FC (EPL), Bayern Munich FC (Bundesliga), Juventus FC (Serie A), CBF (Brazilian National Football), AFC (Asian Football Confederation), CAF (Confederation de African Football) and many other national teams.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.