Cup of joy for Callum!

Blyth Spartans are donating a £2,000 windfall from the FA Community Shield Fund to local charity Callum’s Wish to Walk, set up to allow eight-year old fan Callum Brown to take his first steps in life, writes Mark Carruthers.

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League club is supporting their young season ticket holder's dream after the Football Association handed Spartans officials the cash to donate to charity as their reward for reaching the FA Cup First Round Proper last season.

Callum's Wish to Walk was founded last year to help the youngster who is battling Cerebral Palsy go to the United States for selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery. In January he travelled to St Louis Children's Hospital for a successful operation. Now, the Premier Division outfit are hoping to help with the costs of intensive rehabilitation to strengthen his leg muscles with the aim of helping him walk unaided for the first time within the next twelve months.

Along with his parents Neil and Sharon, the youngster has become a regular face - and voice - at Croft Park since September when the club rewarded him for his bravery with a season ticket for the 2012-13 season after holding a number of fundraising events. He took to the field with his parents on Saturday to receive the cheque prior to the club's penultimate home game against Grantham Town and is pictured with Spartans skipper Wayne Buchanan and midfielder Stephen Turnbull before the 1-0 win.

Spartans General Manager Ian Evans said: "When I received the letter from the FA reminding us of our charity windfall I immediately thought of Callum. We did obtain other nominations but the board were unanimous in their decision to award the money to Callum’s Wish to Walk. I was actually talking to Callum and his mum on Tuesday, they are fully appreciative of our gesture and we all hope that the money will go towards help with his rehab."

His delighted mum said: "We are over the moon with the nomination never mind winning it. Callum has become a life-long fan and this donation has made his dream of being able to kick a ball around the field closer to becoming a reality. This will pay for two solid weeks of intense physio which make him so much stronger."

The Football Association Community Shield Fund provides a reward for all clubs who reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup. Clubs are given £2,000 to donate to a nominated charity with the funds generated by August's traditional Community Shield opener to the season. Each year a section of the profits from ticket and programme sales is divided equally among the 124 eligible clubs with the rest going to official FA Charity Partners - The Teenage Cancer Trust, The Bobby More Fund and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.