Mario's pilgrimage

from left to right
Mark Lovell, Mario van Niekerk, Kevin Hodges, Nigel Pascoe

Home is where the heart is. And Home Park is where Nigel Pascoe likes to be.

It’s the Old Trafford of Devon, the focus of Plymouth Argyle FC fans every other Saturday afternoon. And as this article comes together, the “Pilgrims” as they are nicknamed, are top of the pile in League 2.

As if that wasn’t enough for the founder of Goal50 to get excited, the big October home game against Portsmouth - a naval derby - had a very special flavour. It marked the visit of Mario van Niekerk, the man who heads up the charity work based in the township of Heideveld in the Cape Flats of South Africa. 

Mario was on something of a pilgrimage in Europe and having spent a few days at a conference in Germany, he met Nigel for a weekend at the football club. Goal50 is developing strong links with Plymouth Argyle and the shared values make it a good relationship. The lads spent time with Academy manager Kevin Hodges and the Argyle Community Trust manager Mark Lovell. And on match day, they had the opportunity to share something about the charity with more than 200 corporate guests over lunch.

Mario has a strong desire to promote education through his charity programmes in South Africa and comes from the same school of thinking of the football club where Scholarship and Foundation Degree programmes are offered.

Argyle has one of the best ‘community’ setups in the UK and uses the influence of football to improve lives through projects based on health, education, disability and social inclusion.

Compared to the UK and Channel Islands, the social problems that beset Mario’s South African township communities are multiplied over and over again. But there are many similar issues to deal with and it is hugely beneficial that Goal50 and Argyle work together. The township academy will shortly receive several Argyle football kits.

“We are delighted to work with Goal50 in their ventures in South Africa” enthused Kevin Hodges,

“Nigel and Mario are doing a great job and we want to help wherever we can.”

Colleague, Mark Lovell added, “Community involvement is so important. Much can be achieved through the power of football.”

Mario’s pilgrimage was a huge encouragement and he returns to Cape Town with renewed energy and a bucketload of footballing ideas to boot.