FC ABBEY MEADS welcomed a very special guest to their annual presentation night last week - the Barclays Premier League trophy.

The silverware, won by Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea last month, made an appearance at the club’s event at Swindon MECA last Friday night.

It arrived - with security guards in tow - after the club’s Under 11 Rangers side had their dreams of playing on a Premier League ground this summer dashed.

Under 11s boss Clint Ricketts explained: “I entered my team into a Barclays ‘Spirit of the Game’ competition to play on a Premier League pitch.

“We the won the competition and the date was set and 30 children from FC Abbey Meads were set to travel up to play at West Ham’s Upton Park - a money-can’t-buy experience.

“I then received communication cancelling the event due to West Ham getting into the Europa League.

“They had to get their pitch into condition by July, meaning any event due this summer at Upton Park was cancelled.

“A lot of communication then went on between myself and the event team at the Barclays Premier League and I had a lot of disappointed children.

“It was then suggested that I could have the original (Premier League) trophy for a night along with its security guards.

“I spoke with Justin Britchford from Swindon MECA who stepped in so I could hold the event there and Justin Tomlinson MP popped in to help as well and gave a great speech to all the children.’’ The club celebrated a successful campaign, with the Under 11 Rangers winning their league and going undefeated all year.

The Under 13s also won their league, while the Under 14 girls team won the treble and the Under 18s were the runners up in their league.

For more information about the club, see fcabbeymeads.co.uk.