Parents step in to take on new youngster’s football team in South Shields

Youngsters in South Shields who had been learning skills for the past two years were being faced with having no one to play for last July, when they become too old for their current club.

Knowing how much their son Ethan loved the game, parents Jo and Kev Hogg - supported by Neil Hayes and his wife Kim - stepped forward to take the lads on by forming Westoe and Harton Hurricanes

Since then, the team which competes in the Russell Foster League, has grown from five to 17 players.

None of the parents have had any experience of running a football team before and say they have been overwhelmed by the support of local businesses and its success.

They are currently looking for more youngsters to join their under sevens team as they look to put a second team out to compete.

Mrs Hogg said: “None of us have done this before, it’s all new to us but we are all really pleased with the direction it is going in.

“It was the fact Ethan loved playing football and he wasn’t going to have a team to play with anymore, and he had made some great friends which led to us taking the team on.”

The team would like to thank Mowbray Sport, River View Cars, Cardstation, east Coast fibreglass, Solar Solve, Punjab Kitchen and Smiths Chippy for their support.

Mrs Hogg added: “We can’t thank everyone enough for supporting us.”

The club trains on Tuesdays at Marsden Road Health Centre and Fridays at Harton Academy, 6pm until 7pm.

First session is free.