A grassroots football club is 'very excited' ahead of hosting its popular festival of football gala. 

Warwick Wanderers Football Club, which was founded by current chairman Kevin Dobinson in 1997, will host its 2024 gala on Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12.

The event is set to welcome around 5,000 children from 210 football teams across Cumbria, Northumberland, and Lancashire to Warwick Bridge's Downagate, with places at the gala filling rapidly after registrations were opened in January.

Nick Stobbs has been organising the Gala for 16 years and expressed his excitement ahead of the event.

He said: "I am very excited. We are really happy with the weather as the gala is always weather-dependent.

"We are going to have a hot weekend so it will be really great for the kids.

"We have also actually got a DJ who has already got an Ibiza set coming down.

"I am looking forward to seeing 5,000 kids playing football and covered in ice cream it is amazing. That's what grassroots football is all about."

Warwick Wanderers' 2024 festival of football gala is set to trump the successes of 2023's iterations, which was the biggest to date and saw over 5,000 people, players, and spectators in attendance, with 2,120 cars parked on Downagate and a combined 4,700 burgers and hot dogs sold. 

Speaking ahead of the gala, Nick also discussed how much he is looking forward to the event getting underway and being bigger than ever.

"2023 was the biggest we have ever had."

"We are looking at bringing new stalls into it, we have always badged it as a gala and not a football tournament with the funfair, the candyfloss lady and I think we are going to have a coconut shy this year and we try to do it so that the whole family is entertained."

Nick was also keen to thank the event's sponsors, Lloyd Motor Group, the Pioneer, and Gordon Graham's Line Marking