A power company grant means ‘back of the net’ won’t be so bad for one Suffolk football club who have had to play with goal nets that are so patched they are “embarrassing”.

Elmswell FC have netted a £250 Team Sport Award from UK Power Networks and are using it to replace their old patched up nets with new ones in the team colours and to repair their goalposts. The team play their home games at Blackbourne Community Centre in the village.

The club were awarded the money through Richard Adlington who is a surveyor with the UK’s largest electricity distributor and is reserve team assistant manager and goalkeeper.

Richard explained that the lockdowns hit the club hard with no training or matches, plus some players have been injured because they were not able to get match fit. He said several clubs in the area had folded due to loss of earnings during the pandemic.

Richard said: “I think the Team Sport Award scheme is fantastic. We struggle every year to bring in sponsors and donors as we’re in a rural area with a lot of other organisations in close proximity, all competing for the same sponsors. We are one of the smaller clubs so often go unnoticed, UK Power Networks helps to keep the club afloat and keep new players coming in.”

“The goalposts have been in disrepair for a while now and the nets are extremely patched, it’s a little embarrassing on occasion.”

The Team Sport Award scheme is run by UK Power Networks to encourage staff to volunteer in the community and is aimed at promoting healthy living, teamwork and developing sports opportunities. During 2020, more than 60 teams benefitted from a total of £15,500.