OVER 40 youngsters got a taste of top-flight football on Saturday thanks to a local Celtic Supporters’ Club.

The North Ayrshire Shamrock teamed up with the Kano Foundation to take 41 St Matthew’s Academy pupils to see Celtic take on Dundee at the weekend.

And the lucky youngsters even got a taste of the Celtic Park experience by walking down the tunnel and into the dugouts before heading over to the Emirates Arena for lunch before the short walk back to Celtic Park for the win over Dundee.

Stephen Meechan, one of the lead committee members of the club, which was formed last year, explained how the day came about, he said: “We only had a week or so to sort it all out after a school from Ireland pulled out. My sister works for the council and she helped to get it sorted and one of the boys’ in the club is involved with Reid’s Foods in Dalry and they gave us all the goodies for a bag each for the children for after the game. Terry Erskine also got us a discounted price for the bus to the game.

“All the kids loved it, they were in the tunnel, the dugout and they were all singing songs and copying what the Green Brigade were doing.

“The Kano Foundation gave them all a bag and a scarf when they were going into the ground too.”

The foundation helps children go along to Celtic games completely free of charge and next time round the Shamrock will be taking up to 140 kids to a game, likely to be next year.

Stephen added: “We would like to really thank my sister Louise Riddex, Terry from Clyde Coast, Reid’s Food Services and the Kano Foundation.”

Our photographer John Keachie was there in the morning before the bus left for Glasgow and captured those who were attending the game.