About 50 children cycled around Blackbird Leys’ pubs to collect money to keep Oxford Blackbirds Football Club afloat.
The youngsters visited the Priory in Grenoble Road, the Bullnose Morris, in Cuddesdon Way, and the Blackbird, in Blackbird Leys Road on Saturday and smashed their £1,000 fundraising target, netting £2,000.
Its future is in doubt after funds from Oxford City Council’s south-east area committee dried up, which the club had relied on to pay for the rent of pitches and changing facilities.
Last night, the club’s under-10s coach Dave Simms said: “It was brilliant.
“Hopefully this money will help the individual teams pay for the pitches and refereeing.
“We had 40 to 50 children on bikes.
“They were singing Blackbirds’ songs all the way round.
“Most of the children raised between £25 and £100 in sponsorship and we also raffled off two bikes.”
The club has 11 teams and caters for about 250 children every week.
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