Sarah Pochin MP visits Runcorn Linnets

The club wishes to clarify its position following yesterday's visit of Sarah Pochin, Member of Parliament for Runcorn & Helsby, to APEC Taxis Stadium.

This was an introductory meeting with the town's recently-elected MP, who is willing and able to assist the club with achieving its aims and objectives in the area we both serve.

The meeting was suggested by Stephen Young, chief executive of Halton Borough Council.

Runcorn Linnets Football Club is a non-political and not-for-profit organisation.

We are here to benefit our community by creating opportunities to engage with sport in an area of high deprivation while striving to provide the best possible environment for everyone to enjoy.

As a fan-owned club, we are forever grateful for the support of our members, supporters and sponsors, who help us to field teams - and be competitive - across a wide range of agegroups.

We are proud to be a fully-inclusive society, whose players and fans are drawn from diverse backgrounds.

However, the club does not operate in an affluent area or have a major benefactor.

We have therefore been, and will continue to be, grateful for assistance from within and outside the club, not least providers of grant funding.

We are fortunate to have advice and support on such matters from officers and members of Halton Council and have likewise worked closely with MPs of various political affiliations.

As members of the Football Supporters Association (FSA), we have always been encouraged to lobby our MPs for support.

Ms Pochin is very interested in the club's achievements so far, enthusiastic about our future prospects and has (like her predecessors) very generously pledged support for key on-going projects, which will ultimately benefit the club and its neighbourhood.

She will help with promoting the club to increase support and membership and improving our facilities for the enjoyment of all involved with Runcorn Linnets and the wider community.

We welcome our MP's asistance and look forward to working with her and alongside many other stakeholders as we navigate the long and winding road towards achieving our ambitions.