A Carlisle country park has sponsored a kids' football team for a second consecutive year. 

Green Meadows Country Park, located in Blackford, has sponsored two of Northbank 1970's junior teams, with the park supplying them with customized tops, jackets, and training equipment at no cost to the football club. 

To celebrate the sponsorship, players and coaches from the under-11s and under-nines sides travelled to Green Meadows Country Park on Sunday, August 11 to present them with a signed and framed shirt. 

(Image: Matthew O'Hara/NQ)

At the event, which also saw the youth players train in their new yellow kits which are adorned with the park's logo, coach Stephen McDermott explained more about the sponsorship.

He said: "There are two teams, you have got Northbank 1970 under-11s and Northbank 1970 under-nines and Green Meadows have sponsored them both. 

"They did it last year for the under-11s who were under-10s last year and it was brand new. Now they have agreed to do it for both of them this year.

"They have bought us new strips for both teams, and new jackets, and it means the world to us."

The sponsorship initially came to fruition after Stephen had assisted the holiday park with the installation of their gas pipes in his capacity as an employee of a gas company in 2023. 

(Image: Matthew O'Hara/NQ)

After the sponsorship was confirmed for a second year, Stephen expressed his gratitude to Green Meadows Country Park for helping supply Northbank 1970 with their new gear.

He said: "Without local businesses going the extra mile and doing this we would not have strips. We would have to sort them all on our own and it means a lot to us. 

"It really does mean the world to us, it's the difference between us having a good quality strip to play in and looking the part or not having one and playing in bibs and things like that."

"This is what grassroots football is all about, making the most of what we have got and making sure that the kids have fun playing football."

(Image: Matthew O'Hara/NQ)

Stephen also discussed his aims for the teams ahead of their upcoming season.

He said: "In the first season last year, we had a brand new team where none of them had played before and this season I would like to think that we are going to move into the top league.

"The younger team are our development team and we are hoping to do the same with them, we will get them started this year and hopefully move them up next year. "