YATE Town football club’s vision for the future has received the backing of Thornbury and Yate MP Steve Webb, who visited Lodge Road on Saturday.

Mr Webb was invited to the Southern League fixture against Stratford Town, while players from Yate’s youth development teams took part in a festival of football as part of the club's Supporting the Local Community Day.

Sporting a Yate Town scarf and cheering the team on to a 3-1 victory, Mr Webb was impressed by the club’s development of young local players.

He said: “I’ve talked to some of the youth coaches and they’re talking about players enjoying the game, coming through and ending up in the senior team or Bristol Rovers or City.

“It’s very much a long-term vision and the more people who find out what’s going on the better.

“The facilities have got the potential to be improved, which I think the club want to do, and the youngsters are having a great time, that’s what struck me.”