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| Liverpool star Danny Ings has received messages of support following his injury |
DANNY INGS has received messages of support from Roy Hodgson, Alan Shearer and Theo Walcott since his injury, but one, in particular, melted his heart last week.
It came from a youngster called Adam and read simply: "Good luck with your recovery. Hope you are soon back in the Liverpool team winning games for us."
There were 11 kisses on the card.
Adam is just one of 600 disabled youngsters Ings helps to play football each week through his foundation borne from the simplest of gestures.
He had spotted another young disabled supporter, Joe Skinner, after a match while at Burnley, presented him with his football boots and saw the difference the moment made.
"A picture was taken of it which went viral," said Ings. "It isn't a big gesture but it makes a massive difference. I thought if I can make a difference in that way, why can't I expand that and do something else.
"The kids are fantastic. Unfortunately, they can never play at this level I am playing at now but it is important that people like me, and others from around the country at different clubs, give back to these guys and allow them to follow our journey.
"It still gives them that spark. I went back before I was injured and all it takes is to be there for one session and you see how much they enjoy it.
"It's not just Burnley fans as well anymore. It's important they get that physical and mental exercise because it gets their bodies going. Just seeing the smiles on their faces is top drawer.
"Joe, who I gave the boots to, he is the cheekiest one of them all by the way! He's fun. I still talk to him now on Twitter. He will send me a message every few weeks and it is nice to stay in touch."
The Danny Ings Disability Project is funded by the player himself and run by coaches for him, though such has been its success that it is now attracting additional support from elsewhere. Expanding the sessions to include disabled children from the Merseyside area is one of the next steps on the agenda.
"It is definitely something that over my career I want to expand massively," said Ings. "Doing something in and around the Liverpool area will be further down the line.
"The plan was to establish myself here first because while Burnley is a fantastic club coming to Liverpool is a gigantic step.
"I think the worse thing I could have done was as soon as I moved was to fund another project here. I wanted to find my feet and get established.
"It is something that is definitely in the pipeline and something that I am looking forward to doing. It will be another goal for me."
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