Manchester City Football Club Unveils Rooftop Field at Spanish Harlem Elementary School

NEW YORK, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Manchester City Football Club today celebrated the dedication of a team-funded soccer field located on the roof of P.S. 72 Lexington Academy in Spanish Harlem. Christened as "City@School," the lighted, synthetic grass rooftop facility is the first-of-its-kind in Manhattan, and will be for the exclusive use of the elementary school and its students. The launch marks the beginning of an ongoing partnership with children across New York having access to Manchester City's award winning coaching and education programs.

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Manchester City players including Shay Given, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Vladimir Weiss and Patrick Viera -- as well as team executives and guests from the embassy of the United Arab Emirates were on hand to recognize the club's first long term investment for the New York City community.

"Social responsibility and community engagement are deeply-seeded in Manchester City Football Club's heritage," said Manchester City FC Chief Executive, Garry Cook. "Everyone involved with Manchester City is part of the 'City family,' and for that reason, we're thrilled to extend our reach into the Spanish Harlem community."

The Lexington Academy project came to fruition through a newly formed partnership with New York City-based Downtown United Soccer Club (DUSC).  As part of this partnership, Manchester City's award-winning community scheme, City in the Community (CITC) will work closely with DUSC to expand their inner-city outreach program, the City Soccer Initiative (CSI). This agreement is the first of a series of community initiatives to be announced by the club during Manchester City's upcoming US tour and beyond.

"Sports are an important aspect to a child's overall development," said P.S. 72 Principal, Tony Hernandez. "This pitch will serve as a reminder to P.S. 72 and Manchester City's commitment to ensuring we're giving every student the tools needed to develop in every aspect of their education."

DUSC's Community Soccer Initiative is led by Paul Jeffries, a New Yorker and MCFC fan that volunteers his time to act as CSI's Executive Director. Jeffries' commitment and desire to engage children in the community has been instrumental in the development of the rooftop pitch at Lexington Academy.

"We've seen a great response from children at the school who can't wait to use the field," said Jeffries. "The area is very passionate about soccer, and this pitch gives them a unique place to play right in their community."

The field was jointly funded by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and Manchester City Football Club, as the club is privately owned and operated by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan – a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.  As the UAE embassy continues to build relationships in the United States, they are proud to have embarked upon this project that will have a meaningful impact to the community.

"Sports have an incredible ability to unite people and tangibly improve the communities they touch," said United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al Otaiba. "This field is a testament to the UAE's goal to think globally while acting locally."

While the club's dedication to community outreach is a priority, Manchester City is also committed to continuing their legacy of football excellence – having already established one of the most successful youth Academies in the world, preparing players for the club's future on and off the field.  Manchester City also provides state-of-the-art facilities, football camps, coaching, training techniques and more.  

Manchester City is playing in the Barclay's New York Challenge as part of their pre-season summer tour of the US, playing Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon on Friday July 23rd, and the New York Red Bulls on Sunday July 25th. For tickets and information, please visit  www.newyorkredbulls.com/tickets/barclays-new-york-challenge.

About Manchester City FC (www.mcfc.co.uk)

Informally  known  as  "The  Blues"  or  "The  Citizens,"  Manchester  City  FC  is  an  English Premier League  football team  founded  in  1880.  It counts the European Cup Winners' Cup, two League Championship titles, and four FA Cups amongst its honors. The team plays at the City of Manchester Stadium, a spectacular 47,715-seat stadium which the Blues made their home following the successful Commonwealth Games in 2003.  Manchester City Football Club was taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group in August 2008.

MCFC's  City  in  the  Community  program  was  founded  in  1986  and  will  celebrate  its  25th anniversary next year. City in the Community works constantly at the heart of local communities to improve lives and give people opportunities that they would otherwise not be afforded. The initiative works with over 200,000 people throughout the Greater Manchester region and abroad every year delivering a range of programs based on the four key pillars of football and sport: Development, Health and Activity, Skills and Enterprise, and Social Inclusion.

SOURCE Manchester City Football Club