By Chris Story

Last updated at 15:30, Friday, 01 June 2012

An amateur football club is setting up two new teams after landing a grant from the country’s biggest sports charity.

The Football Foundation has awarded £5,000 to Crown Newlaithes Football Club, which plays at Rickerby Park in Carlisle.

Money will be used to set up an under-sevens mixed side, as well as a girls team at under-12 level and allow more of its coaches to be trained by the Cumberland FA.

The cash has come through the foundation’s Grow the Game programme, run with backing from England’s 46 county football associations, the FA and Government, to encourage the sport’s development at grassroots level.

Crown Newlaithes treasurer Paul Wheadon said: “In the current climate, funding a 14-team junior football club is increasingly difficult.

“Receiving this grant from the Football Foundation will help the two new teams and coaches to be set up and develop for future years.”

So far Grow the Game has awarded 894 separate grants worth more than £4.3m to grassroots football clubs nationally.

Football Foundation chief executive Paul Thorogood said: “I congratulate Crown Newlaithes FC for receiving this Grow the Game grant, which will increase participation and support football development.

“I would like to thank the Cumberland FA for their help in making this happen.”

First published at 14:10, Friday, 01 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk