A COMMUNITY football club looking forward to setting up a new girls’ team, thanks to an FA grant.

Since it was formed 25 years ago, Barton United have been credited with keeping young boys from the city estate off the streets and out of trouble.

Now it has been awarded a £5,000 Grow the Game grant, from the Football Foundation, the country’s largest sports charity.

And chairman Mick Beesley said the club would use some of the money to set up a girls’ youth team.

The club celebrated the windfall at its awards ceremony on Friday with a kickabout with Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran, who is from Kirtlington, at the new Barton Pavilion.

Mr Beesley, who became involved with the club when his son Stuart, 31, was nine, said: ”This grant has been awarded at a very convenient time for us by the Football Foundation.

“In the very near future we see the estate developing around our recreation ground with new houses and hopefully plenty of young children who would like to play the national game.

“With our new community pavilion already set up and running, attracting young children and adult volunteers is going to be a huge task, but very worthwhile in the long term.”

Sue Holden, chairman of Barton Community Association (BCA), said over the years the club had helped change the estate for children.

Mrs Holden said: “The guys that run the club started out when their own kids were young, and now they’ve grown up and had their own children, but everyone is still there dedicated to the club.

“Barton United FC has been helping keep kids off the streets for years.

“This grant is fantastic news for the estate.”

The award will help pay for the club to field four boys’ and girls’ teams starting at under-seven level, and pay for coaches to be sent on FA coaching courses.

The Football Foundation’s Grow the Game programme is designed to increase participation in grassroots clubs.

The programme is delivered in partnership with all of the 46 County FAs and funded by The FA and the Government.

Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: “I congratulate Barton United Football Club for receiving this Grow the Game grant, which will increase sport participation and support football development.

“I would like to thank the Oxfordshire Football Association for their help in making this happen.”