Young footballers thrilled to take to Stanley pitch and meet players
A YOUNG Huncoat football team were thrilled to walk out with Accrington Stanley as their official mascots at a home game.
Players from the Huncoat United Junior Football Club under 11s supported the Reds in their match against Cheltenham Town at the Wham Stadium.
Emma Shearon, who runs the East Lancashire Football Alliance outfit with her partner and manager Noel Cunningham, said the team, including her son Aaron, “absolutely loved” the experience.
She said: “They were still talking about it at training.
“They all wanted to do it again.”
As mascots the players were able to get close to both teams.
Emma said: “They walked the team out and stood there and met the players, and they were shaking the hands of all the players from Cheltenham. Their goalkeeper even fist-bumped our goalkeeper.
“At half time they got out on the pitch and had a game against each other – they loved playing in front of the crowd.”
The team applied for the opportunity through the Accrington Stanley Community Trust and were delighted to be offered a chance to be mascots.
The only requirement was that they do some fundraising that would be split between their own team and the Stanley Trust.
Emma said: “At Huncoat each individual team is funded by ourselves. We have to look for sponsors so we fundraise that ourselves.
“All the players that went just asked for sponsors from friends and family, and I am still collecting it but we have got £450 in total so far.”
The game finished honours even with Stanley being pegged back to a 1-1 draw.
Emma said: “It would have been good if they had won but we were just happy to be there.”