Britain picks Mark to stop the Italians

SHOTSTOPPING goalie Mark Edwards hates crosses coming in from the right but don't tell the Italians - he's been picked to play their national team for the visually impaired.

Mark, 19, of West Boldon, South Tyneside, was blinded in his right eye by a punch when he was 13 and has had retinal surgery four times on his left eye.

But these problems have not prevented him being selected tp play for the Great Britain visually impaired team in a tournament in Rome on March 15 against Italy, France and Spain.

Mark, who is 6ft and weighs 15st, watches tactics adopted by pros like Peter Schmelchel and David Seaman to hone his goal keeping skills.

"When it comes to a one-on-one situation I like to think I am one of the best" he said yesterday.

Mark, of St Nicholas View who is studying for a BSc in Media Systems at Sunderland University plays for South Shields Visually Impaired FC.

"I'm delighted to have been selected for the Great Britain team." he said.

Outfield player Simon Russel 25, of Oxford Avenue, South Shields, has also been picked. He became partially-sighted when he was a teenager.