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Grassroots football in Liverpool could receive a £450,000 funding boost after Mayor Joe Anderson said both LFC and Everton had committed to help fund pitch charges for the city's poorest children.

Mayor Joe Anderson announced today on social media that each of the city's two Premier League sides had committed to giving the council £75,000 each a year for the next three years to help kids participate in football.

Details of exactly how the funding will be used are not yet known, but Mayor Anderson said in a video posted on Twitter that it would help kids whose parents couldn't afford pitch fees.

C ouncil pitches for junior leagues used to be free but the council brought in charging when it opened a series of new football hubs in 2018, calling the old system "unsustainable".

(Image: Geoff Davies)

It costs an average of 50p per child to use pitches at the new hubs, with that being reinvested in council football provision.

Mayor Anderson said today that the amount pledged by Liverpool and Everton was less than he would have like but it was a "step in the right direction".

He said: "I've had discussions with Liverpool Football Club and with Everton Football Club and both of them have agreed to support me, to support the mayor, in terms of funding for young people and parents in particular who are really struggling to pay for football fees if they have one or two kids wishing to play football.

"They're part of the grassroots campaign as well and I pay tribute to them for the fight and effort that they put in to support grassroots football but we've got £75,000 off Liverpool and £75,000 off Everton every year for three years.

(Image: Copyright Unknown)

"That £450,000 is going to directly in to supporting some of those kids that are living in poverty who want to play football but can't because their parents can't afford it.

"It's good news, it's not brilliant news, it's not as much as we would like but it's a step in the right direction."

Like other areas of council leisure spending, grass roots football has faced major pressure on its funding in recent years.

The council has opened a series of football hubs for community use thanks to a combination of funding from the Premier League and the FA - but also brought charging for junior league use of the pitches.

Follow local democracy reporter Nick Tyrrell Nick covers local government and politics for the ECHO, focusing on Liverpool City Council and the city region. Among other subjects he covers planning, housing, education, deprivation and transport in his role as local democracy reporter. Here are more of his stories, and here is all of the ECHO's politics coverage. You can follow Nick on Twitter here, or contact him on Facebook. Email him on nick.tyrrell@reachplc.com Keep up to date with the latest breaking news here Like the ECHO Facebook page and follow @livechonews on Twitter

The new hubs, which cost £20m, are:

• Jeffrey Humble Playing Field (Fazakerley)

• Heron Eccles Playing Field (Allerton)

• Jericho Lane Playing Field (Otterspool)

• Simpson Road (Woolton)