A north-east football club headed south after getting a boost from the Evening Express’s cash giveaway.
Westdyke Thistle FC Under-14s took their football skills to Blackpool after landing £500 from the CommunitEE Chest’s £15,000 pot.
Graham Milne, team secretary, said: “The money went towards when we went down to Blackpool to play in the cup.
“We used it for travel expenses and to pay for the entry fee to compete.
“We made it as far as the semi-finals in one group – they were deligh-ted to have made it that far in the competition.”
The club was formed in 1996 and has nine competitive squads, from under-13s to under-19s, who play in the Aberdeen and District Juvenile Association.
The club has a total of 140 boys and men registered.
Graham said the team is now competing in the under-15s category and is hoping to go abroad and compete once more.
He added: “We have registered this year once again and we’re hopeful to win again.
“We want to go to Amsterdam to play in the Holland Cup.
“Anything we manage to get will go into that travel expenses and entry fee again.”
The group, although based in Westhill, sees youngsters from across different parts of the city train together.
The team has been playing together since the members were about six and seven years old.
“We have a very diverse group and we’re hoping to send them somewhere to compete again,” Graham added.
“Every little bit counts.”
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