A TEAM of talented young Largs footballers have kicked off a fundraising drive to pay for a goal-den trip of a lifetime.

Largs Colts 2009s have been invited to line up at an international tournament in Holland next year - but need to raise the case to get there as the club and parents struggle with the cost of living crisis.

The young footballers hope to travel to Arnhem in May to compete alongside hundreds of other top teams from all around Europe in a prestigious youth tournament.

Coach Kenny Armstrong says the club wants to give the kids an 'unforgettable experience' after previous planned trips were claimed by the pandemic.

He explained: “Our 2009s group were all largely going into P7 when the first lockdown hit.

“Their whole year was totally disrupted, and the things they would normally do, like a residential trip, didn’t go ahead.

“We wanted to try and do something for them to give them that experience back. Holland would be the perfect place.

“We are trying to do as much fundraising as possible to raise thousands of pounds to help subsidise the trip for local families during these tough times."

The tournament is one of the most prestigious in Europe and the Largs youngsters will have the opportunity to play against a number of top European clubs, with Ajax, PSG and Werder Bremen all previously sending sides.

He said: “Over the course of a weekend we will face some big names.

“There are about 1,500 kids of all ages from France, Germany, Holland and Scandinavian nations.

“We will get the ferry over, stay in Holland for three nights, explore the area and play some football, before coming back to Largs.

“The kids will also get a bit of free time throughout the tournament to explore Arnhem and see what other cultures are all about.”

Kenny believes the trip can show the young hopefuls what being part of a team it all about.

He said: “It can’t be understated how important it is for our youngsters to see other cultures and interact with kids their own age from various nationalities.

“The whole philosophy of the Colts is that our club is about much more than football. We want to give our players life skills, independence and for them to be ambassadors for the town.

“We might never produce a world-class footballer, but we aim to produce young people ready to go out into the world."

The Colts will be announcing a number of fundraising events in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on the club's Facebook page for more details.