While we pace ourselves towards this 10pm kick-off, here’s a touching story involving former England striker Alan Shearer.
The Three Lions great surprised his local amateur football team, Newcastle Panthers Football Club, the only LGBTQIA+ friendly football team in the North-East, with some brand new training kits.
The Panthers, who also received a grassroots grant from the Cash4Clubs programme – a £500,000 scheme funded by Flutter which supported 250 community clubs across the UK and Ireland this year – got a special video message from Shearer revealing their Flutter-funded training strips.
‘Newcastle Panthers FC, I’m absolutely delighted to reveal that you are one of 250 grassroots sports clubs to receive a Cash4Clubs grant this year,’ Shearer said.
‘This initiative is part of a £500,000 contribution by Flutter into grassroots sport. The award recognises the incredible work you’re doing: bringing people together, keeping adults active, and helping grassroots football thrive.
‘I’m gutted I can’t be there in person. But I’m delighted to tell you that, in addition to your grant, Flutter have bought you a new kit – and they’ve donated the sponsorship of it to The Alan Shearer Foundation – meaning you’ll play with that logo on your strip, raising awareness of the work we do in helping profoundly disabled children and adults in our area. I hope you’ll wear it with Pride.’
Top class from Shearer and from Flutter because it’s tournaments like the World Cup that inspire the next generation to want to get out and play and giving them a helping hand en route to doing so is key to developing the next batch of stars.
Newcastle Panthers Football Club, the only LGBTQIA+ friendly football team in the North-East, were recipients of a grassroots grant from the Cash4Clubs programme – a £500,000 scheme funded by Flutter which supported 250 community clubs across the UK and Ireland this year.
