IT'S a rarity to have a charity labelled on a football shirt, but Guiseley's U14 Green side will head into the new season with exactly that.

For the 21/22 campaign, the young Lions have decided that as a group, they would like to give their normal advertising space on the front of their shirts to a charity, something which has been done by very few clubs.

The charity in question, is a charity called 'Young Minds', a mental health charity aimed at teens and young people.

And the kits have been paid for by donations from friends and families, as well as a donation from the football club.

Discussing his decisions to go down this route, the U14 Green's head coach Richard Norman, said: "My boy plays for the team, and I've seen how he has struggled over the last 18 to 20 months, been cut off from his friends, and because they are still young, it’s difficult for them to know who they can talk to.

"When there is no contact from their friends on a consistent basis and then the football gets cancelled, it's tough for them.

"And with Young Minds, we play to their audience so to speak, so it just seemed like a good idea to have their number on our shirts.

"I started talking to them and the club, and the club helped us with a contribution. The other donations came through family and friends of the players, so we are all extremely grateful for that.

"I think it's extremely important that mental health charities like Young Minds, come to fruition at an early age.

"People need to know which way to turn.

"With some people too, football is their only sort of interaction and a chance for escapism, so the absence of football in lockdown, has been tough for many people. "

Norman was quick to point out how pleased he was with the donations received from family and friends.

He said: “I’m extremely grateful. It wouldn't have been possible to be fair without their kind donations.

"We've had people who are not connected to the club in any way donating money, just because they think it's a great message and idea."

Norman added: "If it goes down well, I think we will certainly look to keep the Young Minds sponsor in the future, because it is a brilliant message.

"Because I’ve only just taken over the running of the football team, my plan for this season, is to do things what we haven’t done before.

“For example, doing little match day programmes, which will have player interactions and player profiles in it.

“Hopefully the spectators would like to pay a couple of pounds for one on a match day, and then come the end of the season, I’d like to think we might have a pot for the kit already.

"I've had the artwork sorted out with the the new kit, Young Minds have given it the go ahead and it is now good to go."

"It just seemed like a very apt charity. There's mental help and then there's kids mental help, so if we can help them now, then it might just help them in the future." Donate to Young Minds via their website.