IRN-BRU gets its Tops off to invest £70,000 in Youth Football

IRN-BRU has today announced a PHENOMENAL investment of £70,000 in youth football with an exciting new initiative, Tops for Youth Teams.

Until 7^th May 2011, people across Scotland can return their IRN-BRU plastic bottle tops to help their local SFL club grab a larger share of the cash.  It’s simple - the more bottle tops a club collects, the more money they receive.  Every club will get a share of the investment, and the team with the most tops gets a whopping £10,000.  

It’s easy for everyone to help their local club; tops can be returned to collection bins at any SFL football ground, selected local retailers and at key venues throughout the thirty communities.   Regular collection updates will be published online at www.phenomenalfooty.com so supporters will be able to see how their team is progressing.

Senior Brand Manager for IRN-BRU Martin Steele commented;

“We are thrilled to be able to pledge an additional £70,000 to youth football in the SFL.  The top prize of £10,000 can make a significant contribution to a team in any of the three leagues and we are pleased to let supporters and local communities help to decide where this money should go.

The IRN-BRU bus will also be taking to the country’s roads visiting every club over the coming weeks to encourage supporters and communities to collect their tops for their team. We hope that clubs and supporters will see a real impact from this investment in the coming seasons.”

Martin Steele launched Tops for Youth Teams with the support of SFL Chief Executive David Longmuir and Scotland Under 21 Head Coach Billy Stark. 

Billy Stark, who has enjoyed a successful reign with the Scotland Under 21 team, reinforced the importance of investing in youth football;

“On a national level we all hope to see Scotland compete at the World Cup and the European Championships where the country belongs - taking on the likes of Brazil and Spain.  To get back to this stage there must be greater investment in future generations of players and I am delighted to see IRN-BRU doing this through Tops for Youth Teams.” 

David Longmuir, SFL Chief Executive, who knows more than most the pressures facing football clubs added;

“Recently we have seen SFL teams focus more attention and money on youth development than ever before, this is crucial in the development of talent in the game in Scotland.  £70,000 will be a massive boost for SFL clubs to help improve coaching, facilities and equipment which players can enjoy the benefits of in training.I really hope supporters and those living near an SFL club return as many IRN-BRU plastic bottle tops as possible, every top counts!”

Supporters can follow their team’s progress through the Tops for Teams League table which will be issued to press and available online at www.phenomenalfooty.com.  The final league table will be unveiled at the IRN-BRU SFL Phenomenal End of Season Awards due to take place on Thursday 26^th May 2011 at the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow.