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A youth football team in Corby has created their own kit to proudly wear to acknowledge the devastating effect cancer has had on their team.

Corby Hellenic Fisher U16 Lyons are sporting a new strip this season to support everyone affected by cancer.

The youngsters’ assistant coach Steve Lyons died of the disease four years ago. And then one of the players’ mums was also diagnosed with cancer.

Some of the team members including Lennox (Lisa's son) on the left as well as the team captain and vice-captain. All three boys have played together since they were five. Image: Hellenic Fisher U16s

So the youngsters decided they would like to change their strip to honour the people they knew who had been hit by cancer.

Coach Fabienne Thomas said: “In 2020 our assistant manager Steve Lyons passed away after an heroic battle with cancer.

"The entire team and the parents were devastated.

"The team then had to stop playing due to Covid. Steve had been my assistant for five years.

The team in their new strip, with the match referee who had also recently battled leukaemia. Image: Corby Hellenic Fisher

"Fast forward to 2022 and the team start playing again only to discover in April that one of players mum was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

"Lisa and her son Lennox have been a part of our team. since 2012. We all started together. This completely rocked our whole team again.”

Shortly before September 2023 Lisa was given the all clear, so the team decided that as it was their last season together before the boys moved on, they would get a kit in acknowledgement of Steve, Lisa, and others who have been affected by cancer.

Fabienne continued: “Lisa selected a kit, and we ran a raffle to pay for it. The winner was Corby Car Clinic. Macron Northamptonshire then created the kit with Lisa ensuring it was exactly how we wanted it.

The boys are proudly standing up to cancer. Image: Corby Hellenic Fisher

“On every sleeve is a stand up to cancer logo.”

On the kit’s launch day, the team had a county cup game and decided that would be an ideal day to give it its first outing.

Fabienne said: “Just before launch I spoke to the referee and as fate would have it he also had just been given the all clear from leukaemia.

“He was absolutely blown away. So, well, obviously we got both cancer warriors in our picture!

"The referee was 19-years-old and he was absolutely fantastic.

“For a group of 15 and 16 year old boys to have to face all this and still get up and play football every weekend is incredible.

"Lisa has amazing as just months before she was diagnosed with cancer lost her dad to it as well.

"Our team will wear this kit loud and proud and it’s for every single person who has faced or is facing cancer.”

Corby Hellenic Fisher youth football team stands up to cancer with memorial kit after death of team coach