Sam to walk out with NI heroes

The opportunity to walk out as a Player Escort has been provided through McDonald’s grassroots football website, McDonald’s KickStart, where users can access once-in-a lifetime opportunities such as walking out as Player Escorts. The website also allows local clubs to secure funding for development projects and gain useful information on coaching or running a club.

Sam will now be walking out with the Northern Ireland team against Russia and is particularly excited about meeting one particular player; “As a Manchester United fan I am really looking forward to hopefully meeting Johnny Evans; that would be great.”

Sam is currently training with Hillsborough Boys and also plays with CK Coaching for skills and discipline. He isn’t too enthuiastic about the game though and says that Northern Ireland might get a draw.

Speaking about this opportunity McDonald’s franchisee John McCollum said: “McDonald’s Sprucefield operates very much as part of the local community and I’m delighted that Sam has won the opportunity to walk out as a McDonald’s Player Escort. I’m sure he will enjoy this opportunity and hopefully he can see them get a win.”

McDonald’s is celebrating ten years as the Official Community Partner of the Irish FA and through this partnership is helping young footballers shine. The Community Partnership is delivering a lasting legacy for grassroots football through coach creation and education, a new Club Accreditation Scheme, through a series of Small Sided Games Centres and through the McDonald’s Irish FA Community Awards which were launched last month to recognise and rewards the unsung heroes of grassroots football.

For full details and to apply for the chance for your child to walk out as a Player Escort please visit www.mcdonalds.co.uk/KickStart. And to nominate someone for the McDonald’s Irish FA Community Awards 2013 please do so at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/KickStart.