Celtic legend Neil Lennon delights Southport Athletic Junior Football Club

Youngsters at a new junior football club in Southport were delighted when one of the most successful football managers in Europe turned up as a guest of honour for their first-ever awards presentation. 

Players at Southport Athletic Junior Football Club enjoyed their awards ceremony at Southport Rugby Football Club on Saturday, where they were overjoyed to be joined by former title winning Celtic player and manager Neil Lennon. 

Southport Athletic Junior Football Club is a newly formed club, founded in March last year to help develop young footballers aged 6 to 16. It was founded from the previous Phoenix FC under a completely new management. 

The club has an inclusive culture and wants the young players to enjoy their footballing experience.

Paul Mullan runs Southport Athletic Junior Football Club along with friends Alan McCoombe and Ben Minto. 

Paul said: “What a day! Saturday was our first presentation day and it went amazingly well. 

“We would like to say a big thank you to Sue Astwood at Southport Rugby Football Club for donating raffle prizes, Jeff Wilkinson at Bouncy Castle Parade for supplying the inflatables and Lisa at Lisa’s Big Balloon for the balloon arch.” 

Neil Lennon is a good friend of  Chris Mooney, the club’s Under-7s manager, and Joanne Delaney-McGuffie, and was delighted to come down and support the youngsters.

Paul Mullan said: “It was a great surprise to see Neil Lennon at our awards event! 

“Chris Mooney came down with Neil, and introduced me to him. I suddenly looked at him and thought ‘that’s Neil Lennon’! 

“When the parents saw who it was, there was lots of whispering, people saying ‘It’s Neil Lennon’! 

“He had quite a steady stream of people asking him for photos and for autographs. He was really good, very generous with his time. 

“He also helped us to draw the raffle. 

“At the end of the event I thanked him for coming along to our presentation.