Charity comes first for fans

Coalville Town's generous fans are once again showing there's more to football than simply winning matches and collecting silverware.

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division South's runaway leaders might have seen their lead cut to 12 points on Saturday after the 3-2 defeat at Carlton Town but supporters were still celebrating their most recent fundraising efforts and making new friends in the community.

Through their charity work, Coalville Town Supporters Club has collected just under £3000 in the last year alone, their latest efforts paying for toys and learning aids for disabled children.

Ravens manager Adam Stevens is pictured presenting Sue Wilson of Coalville's Forest Way School with a cheque for £650 towards the equipment, raised by fans from sponsored walks and their Christmas raffle.

At the end of last season over £1000 was raised for Macmillan Nurses and before Christmas the club's reserves joined in by collecting £1,171 during ‘Movember’ for the John Hartson Foundation with their moustache and beard growing prowess.

Fans spokesman and programme editor Wayne McDermott said: "Supporters have been working hard in the past 18 months to build on the success of the players on the pitch by giving the club and Non-League football a higher profile in the local and greater Coalville area. Through our charity fundraising we aim to show there is more to football than what happens on the pitch."