Derry's Maiden City and Street Soccer team up!

Maiden City Soccer recently WOWED Street Soccer NI by donating over 100 pairs of football boots in response to a recent appeal from the organisation.

Street Soccer NI, a football-based charity, offers free footballing sessions, training and education to disadvantaged groups such as the homeless, long-term unemployed, asylum seekers and those experiencing difficulties with substance abuse and has weekly training sessions, competitions and games at Magee pitches on the Duncreggan Road.

The organistion recently put out an appeal for football boots for its players, and Maiden City responded enthusiastically, with a spectacular response over a number of weeks.

Maiden City's Nicole Glowicka, who ran the appeal on the club's behalf, admitted even she was overwhelmed with the response.

"When I heard about the appeal, I took on the mission and went to get it organised," she explained. "I put it out to the parents, and on our social media, and I also got in touch with one of the Derry City players, Shane McEleney, who actually brought down two full bags of boots for us, all of which were in really good condition.

"I also sent messages to other clubs to see if they could help and it ran over a number of weeks and we ended up getting over 100 pairs of football boots as well as some trainers as well.

"To be fair, it was an unbelievable response. I don't know what I expected - I expected to get a good amount, but I don't think I expected to get boots in such a good condition. The effort from everyone was amazing, from all around different areas.

"It was all a bit overwhelming but in saying that, we do have a good community of parents at our club and we have good reach within the youth, so I was hopeful, but it was unbelievable with how well it ended.

"In fairness, I had some parents come up to me and say that the boots had just been laying in their houses for so long, so it was nice for them to get them out and for us to contribute somewhere else."

Street Soccer NI's Adrian Curry acknowledged the hard work put in by everyone at Maiden City, and described their efforts as 'a blessing'.

"It was a great response," he said. "Up in Belfast, they put up an appeal to the Irish League for anyone who would like to donate boots that they aren't using anymore. I just happened to mention it to Nicole and they went ahead and did it. She used all her contacts to donate their boots and they used Maiden City as a hub.

Nicole Glowicka, Maiden City FC handing over 100s of pairs of football boots, collected by the club, to Adrian Curry Street Soccer NI. Included, from left, are Ryan Sharkey, Caleb Curry, and from right, Michael Devlin and Craig Lynch, MCFC.

"We're a charity organisation so there were people coming to me and they are always looking for football boots, or shorts or tops, because we work with people from hostel backgrounds or refugees, who have got absolutely nothing when they come. It's a big blessing for me, because it means they can come to me now, and I can support them. It's very generous."

Adrian admitted that the support of local clubs ahs been vital to the continuation of the programme in recent years.

"Tristar helped us out earlier this year with footballs and that was a real blessing for us. Now Maiden City have stepped up with Nicole so it's been great," he continued.

Maiden City's 2016 Academy Player Noah dropping of a full bag of his old football boots and trainers in aid of Street Soccer NI.

"It's very hard because you are always looking for donations or finance to keep the project going.

"We got into X-Fit there recently, and, especially in January, we would have been lost in January because of the weather, which meant we couldn't play football outdoors, so we took them up to X-Fit, which was a blessing."