EVERTON footballing legend Derek Mountfield will attend a special football tournament with schools across Wirral at Tranmere Rovers Futsal Hub.

Around 80 local footballers with and without learning disabilities will be participating in the Special Olympics Unified Football event at the hub on Thursday which is part of a three year project supported by Thierry Henry’s One4All Foundation.

Derek said: “The goal of this year’s Special Olympics European Football Week is to encourage more young people with and without intellectual disabilities to play ‘Unified football’ and in doing so promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

“Unified sports join people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.

“It is inspired by a simple principle that training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship, inclusion and understanding.”

Across Europe 45,000 athletes will participate in 450 events in 50 countries supported by UEFA and National Football Federations and clubs for the event.

Schools such as Clare Mount Sports College, Bebington High Sports College, Woodchurch High School, Foxfield School and Ridgeway High School will all take part.

He added: “Special Olympics and Thierry Henry’s One4All Foundation want to encourage mainstream and specialist schools to better work together to break down barriers for those with intellectual disabilities.

“Tackling self-confidence issues – a significant barrier to employment – and improving leadership skills are central aims.

“This is a key emphasis of our Play Unified campaign with the Youth Sport Trust – where young people with and without disabilities train and play sport together as equals.

“Only by confronting theses existing issues in education, communities and the workplace can we truly create a unified generation."