Wallsend Town collect tokens for kits

Aug 3 2008 by Tom Mullen, Sunday Sun

THESE young soccer stars have everything they need to storm the league this season . . . except an official strip for their team.

That’s just one of the reasons Wallsend Town Academy under-14s are getting behind our Active Campaign.

For months the squad — which was only formed a year ago — have been forced to train in hand-me-down shirts.

But now the boys, their parents and their coach are collecting hundreds of Active tokens, and hope the team will get a new lease of life.

Coach Simon King, whose son Conor plays in the team, said: “They just want a proper strip so they know they all belong to something. They’re young lads, so they like footy strips and everything that goes with being in a team.

“When they first got together they were flagging a bit but now they’ve really come together. We were rock bottom but we finished mid-table and will be hoping for promotion this season.”

Jackie McLaughlin, whose son Dan, 13, plays in midfield, has been rallying the whole community to get behind the Active campaign and collect tokens.

She has printed out flyers and leaflets which she’s handed out and posted through letterboxes, as well as collecting tokens herself.

The proud mum said: “We just want to keep the team together. We don’t want the boys to be out on the streets. It’s such a good thing for them to be doing.”

Dan’s dad Dave McLaughlin added: “If they look good, they play good. It’s a bit of a mix-match team with a few tall lads and a few small lads... we just need a proper kit.”

The Active campaign will distribute a pot of £25,000 between the groups who registered with the Sunday Sun and are collecting tokens. The amount of cash they receive depends on the number of tokns collected.

• If you would like to help the Wallsend Town Academy under-14s, send your tokens to Jackie McLaughlin, 46 Sunholme Drive, Wallsend, NE28 9YT.