Joint-Chairman David Gold shared in the celebrations of West Ham United's Premier League Enterprise Challenge winners on Wednesday, as the triumphant Hammers group took centre stage at the House of Commons.
Managed by West Ham United Community Sports Trust and delivered by WHU inspire Learning Centre, the Hammers cohort told a gathering of MPs and special guests, including former Premier League duo Graeme Le Saux and Jason Roberts, of how the Enterprise Challenge has helped them.
The Enterprise Challenge is the highlight of Premier League Enterprise, a project which uses the hook of football and the knowledge and expertise of the clubs to engage young people in the world of business and enterprise. The initiative has engaged 90,000 young people since its inception in 2008.
Joint-Chairman David Gold meets West Ham's triumphant youngsters
"I am so proud of them," Mr Gold said. "I am proud they have come from schools where I was born and proud they are here representing West Ham United. It's just wonderful to see.
"We ignore our young people at our peril. They need all the support and encouragement we can offer. Young people get such bad press but when a young person does a good thing, we don't see it in our newspapers. I am just thrilled that this project is succeeding.
"It's a momentous occasion for these young men. Here they are in the Houses of Parliament, in front of MPs, and it's incredibly daunting. I couldn't have done this when I was their age. It would have terrified me.
"I came from humble beginnings and my life would have been a lot easier if I had had the mentors and encouragement these young men have been given, through the funding and efforts of the Premier League and all the people associated with this scheme."
So impressed was the Joint-Chairman by the West Ham team that he has invited them as VIP guests to the Boleyn Ground, where he plans to discuss the business ideas with the students in more detail.
"Going to Downing Street and the House of Commons in one day has been great," said team member Ismaeel Haqq. "Opportunities like this make you more ambitious, they make you aim higher because you know it is possible. I will remember this for a long time.
"A lot of people doubted us but I am happy we stuck together as a team, got through it and turned up here. We've now been selected as ambassadors of this competition so we will be mentoring the kids that represent West Ham this year. We hope to take them all the way."
The extension to the long-running partnership between the Premier League and Comic Relief will involve £2.7 million being invested into an expanded Premier League Enterprise programme. The scheme will target hard-to-reach young people who are underachieving or at risk of not realising their potential, with the aim of engaging 7,000 people a year in enterprise education activities.