ENDMOOR KGR Football Club helped out a group of Nigerians who were first discovered by its first team manager Steve Bowman.

Steve, who recently worked on a local plant in Nigeria for gas firm NLNG, was invited down to play both five-a-side and 11-a-side football.

However the experience of playing with the group proved to be overwhelming for Steve who was amazed how they played with limited resources which included one football and one coach.

And the fact they played without complaint spurred Steve, as well as Endmoor, into action who decided to purchase some footballs for them as a way of giving something back.

Steve, who stayed in a gated camp at Finimar Bonny Island, spoke of the overwhelming feeling he felt by playing with the group of players.

He said: "I was overwhelmed with the turnout of so many both young and older lads and the enthusiasm to play was amazing. They had one football and one coach who had everyone doing laps and stretches before the start, and all the players did this without complaint.

"After seeing that they had so little I decided it would be good for myself as well as Endmoor KGR to help the group out which spurred us into ordering some footballs from Amazon, while club chairman Tony Wilson kindly donated some money towards this while I contributed the rest."

Steve explained how he picked his own team which was named 'Mr Steve.'

He said: "It was like an all-stars game with plenty of locals down at the gym to watch a forty minute five a side game. We ditched the bibs and had proper football shirts for both sides and we were then treated to drinks after a 6-1 victory.

"We are so fortunate to have the facilities in the United Kingdom and sometimes we all take these things for granted in comparison to the Nigerian lads who want or ask for nothing, and yet they give back so much with their enthusiasm and effort.

"I'm going to collect some old football boots and trainers from the Endmoor players to send out to the lads whose ultimate pathway is to come to the United Kingdom for schooling and to play football.

"It was humbling to be treated so well and I have made some lifelong friends while hopefully we will see some Nigerian players representing Endmoor at some point in the future."