North-west amateur champions all set to 'shine' with new shirt sponsor
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North West Sutherland football league champions Helmsdale United will have their sponges at the ready tomorrow as they pair up with a local business to raise funds for their summer title defence.
With just a month to go before the season kicks off, players from the club are joining forces with their new shirt sponsor, Helmie Auto Shine, to spend the day washing cars in the village.
Co-manager Colin Macrae said: "We usually have a pre-season sponsored walk or cycle to raise money for the season ahead, but as Helmie Auto Shine are our new sponsor, we thought a car wash day would be a good idea.
"Helmie Auto Shine, who specialise in car cleaning and valeting, are a fairly new business in Helmsdale and have been doing really well so we approached the owner, Todd, and he was delighted to get his logo on the front of our new tops.
"They have all the equipment and facilities for washing the cars, and we will be providing the players who will be put to work on the sponges. Funds are going towards costs for equipment and team buses for the season ahead. Our new strips are due to arrive in a couple of weeks.
"There’s also a raffle organised with plenty good prizes generously donated from local businesses which should hopefully raise some extra cash for the club. It should hopefully be a good day."
The event is set to take place between 10am and 1pm tomorrow (Saturday March 25) at Helmie Auto Shine in Helmsdale. The cost will be £10 per car with half of the funds going towards the football club.
Macrae, who will again run the club with co-manager Josh Booth, feels confident that the team is ready to defend their league title.
He added: "We are obviously delighted to be going into this season as champions, but last season is behind us now and we need to look ahead and concentrate on this season. The team is looking good, with most of the same group as last year along with a couple of additions – Adam Allan and Garrick Taylor – who played for Dornoch last season, which we’re excited about.
"There is a real passion for local summer football in the village from the supporters and players and the boys seem to really step up their levels when it comes to summer. As well as that, we’ve got three or four good players from Caithness who often come down and play for us at the weekends which is a big help.
"We’ve been working on our fitness over the winter as normal and after a couple of friendlies so far, myself and Josh are happy with how the team is looking."
This summer, United will compete as part of a five-team Division 1 in the newly re-structured North West Sutherland Amateur League.
Teams from the east and west coast will compete in the new top tier, with Golspie Stafford, Lairg Rovers, Lochinver and Lochbroom aiming to dethrone the Sutherland side.
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