The Swan's World Cup Fan Park in Mansfield has generated £7,800 to support seven grassroots football teams and organisations across the area. The funds will cover the cost of kit, equipment, training, and opportunities to play, benefiting a diverse range of local sides from new youth teams to inclusive disability squads.
The Swan, a Carling Fan Park venue, was one of six nationwide locations showing England matches on a 22-metre square screen in the pub's car park. A ticket charge was introduced for the fixtures, with 50 per cent of proceeds earmarked for local grassroots football. This initiative turned the excitement of the World Cup into tangible support for the community.
Donations from Group Stages and Knockout Rounds
Following the group stages, The Swan donated £1,000 each to Meden Vale Marvels FC, Woodhouse Colts U9 FC, and Quarrydale Rangers FC. After the knockout stages, a further £1,200 each was distributed to Mansfield Hosiery Mills Youth FC, Market Warsop Boca, Spectrum WASPs, and Clipstone Fiorentina Girls FC. These seven awards bring the campaign total to £7,800, helping teams at different stages of development.
Mansfield Hosiery Mills Youth FC, based in Sutton-in-Ashfield, will use its funding to provide new kit for its under-14 side, which competes in the YEL Saturday leagues. Market Warsop Boca is a new under-nines team being formed for the 2026/27 season. Its donation will help cover kit, equipment, and tournament entry as the team prepares for weekend YEL fixtures.
Supporting Inclusive and Girls' Football
Spectrum WASPs, a Mansfield children's charity supporting autistic children and young people with special and additional needs, as well as their siblings and families, will put the money into weekly inclusive football sessions and new kit for the team. This donation ensures that children with additional needs have access to regular, structured physical activity in a supportive environment.
Clipstone Fiorentina Girls FC, which secured a £1,200 donation, will use its funds for equipment and training resources. The Clipstone-based side competes in the Derbyshire Girls League and has won back-to-back league titles over the past two seasons, earning promotion to League One. The donation will help sustain their success and provide better training conditions.
Impact on Early Donations
The earlier donations have already made a difference. Woodhouse Colts U9 FC has used its funding for playing kit, rain jackets, and tournament experiences, while Quarrydale Rangers FC is using its funding to support tournament participation. Meden Vale Marvels FC, a PAN disability football team, will use its donation for training kit for its players.
Jonty Gerlach, landlord at The Swan, said: “Seeing supporters come together for England has been brilliant, but the best part has been knowing that the ticket money is going straight back into local football.” He added: “These clubs and groups give young people a team, a routine and a place where they can feel part of something. From a new under-nines side to inclusive sessions and a girls’ team doing really well, it’s a proper mix of what grassroots football looks like around Mansfield.”
