Chris Beech’s teenage son Brandon will be flying the flag for Carlisle United this weekend in a competition which has captured the imagination of fans and clubs as football remains on lockdown because of the coronavirus.

Brandon, 17, will represent the Blues in the Ultimate Quaran-Team – a competition dreamt up by Leyton Orient which will help fellow clubs and charities.

The tournament sees 128 clubs from across the world involved in a knockout cup on FIFA 20. Carlisle have been drawn against Sheffield United, who are represented by competitive FIFA player Mitch Hayward.

Orient, whose media team came up with the idea, are using the competition to raise money to help fellow EFL clubs starved of matchday income with games currently suspended until April 30 at the earliest.

Some 75 per cent of money raised will be given to the EFL to distribute, while 25 per cent will be split between mental health charity Mind and the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 solidarity response fund. More than £27,000 has already been raised.

United say they are backing Brandon all the way in the competition, organised by the club Carlisle were supposed to be facing in League Two this weekend amid a “Beech Boys” #GoodVibrations ticket promotion which has had to be shelved.

Club spokesman Andy Hall said: “Brandon has spoken to us before, at a couple of away games, about his love of FIFA.

“We weren’t going to press-gang him into it but when we told everybody we were going to take part in this, we thought he might put himself forward.

“It seemed a no-brainer; given the “Beech Boys” connection with Leyton Orient, and what better than to have one of the actual Beech boys taking part in the competition on our behalf? He is excited and looking to do best he can for all of us.”

First-round games are expected to be played this Sunday.