On Saturday a group of pupils from New Rush Hall School travelled to Leyton Orient Stadium to watch Leyton Orient play Peterborough United. The visit was a special one for the pupils as they were there to support former staff member Mr Lisbie who now plays professionally for Peterborough United.
Mr Lisbie previously worked at New Rush Hall where he supported pupils in lessons and helped many of them manage challenges during the school day. During that time, he often spoke about his dream of becoming a professional footballer and pupils were proud to see him continue working towards that goal.
Over the past couple of years pupils have followed Mr Lisbie’s journey closely. They first went to watch him play when he was part of a non-league team and were excited to see him take the next step in his career this year after signing for League One side Peterborough United. Being able to watch someone they knew personally progress in the game made the experience even more meaningful for the pupils.
For some pupils this was their first time attending a live football match and the atmosphere inside the stadium made it a memorable occasion. Pupils cheered loudly every time Mr Lisbie touched the ball and were proud to see someone who had once supported them now playing on a professional stage.
One pupil showed his support in a special way by wearing Mr Lisbie’s Peterborough United shirt to the match. Seeing a pupil proudly wearing his shirt clearly meant a lot to him and highlighted how proud the pupils were of his achievement.
Although Peterborough United were defeated on the day the result did not take away from the experience. After the match pupils had the chance to take a photo with Mr Lisbie, which made the trip even more memorable.
The pupil wearing the Peterborough United shirt summed up the day perfectly by saying:“It was great to see Sir achieving his dreams. He never gave up on his dream and showed us all what can be achieved if you believe, work hard and never give up.”
The visit was a fantastic experience for pupils and a proud moment for the school community as they supported someone who had once supported them.