A sports equipment company has expressed delight in helping the England football squad prepare for the upcoming UEFA European Championship.
Kevin Utton, the sports sale and marketing director at Harrod Sport, which is based in Lowestoft, Suffolk, said it was “great” to be able to provide the squad with goals to help them prepare at their training ground in Germany.
The company has also equipped one of the tournament’s host stadiums, but Mr Utton added the company was respectful towards similar German manufacturers which wanted to assist.
England take on Serbia in the team’s first match of the tournament on Sunday at 20:00 BST.
“We were approached by the Frankfurt Eintracht Stadium and we have supplied them with our stadium goals,” Mr Utton explained.
“We will have a presence at the actual tournament for matches and we’ve also helped the England team with their requirements.”
Thanks to a connection with the greenkeeper at the St George’s Park National Football Centre in Staffordshire, Harrod Sport was able to equip the England squad’s training camp in Germany.
“We worked with him to get some goals and get some equipment, to the standard he would want, over to Germany – which they will use at the base camp,” he continued.
“Several sets of goals have gone to Germany ready to be used by the England guys to train with.”
When asked what it felt like to be on hand for the England squad, Mr Utton said: “It’s nice, it’s great and the journey has been a long one.
“The last time the Euros were in Germany, England were based in a camp called Baden-Baden and we did exactly the same thing, which was probably well over 10 or 15 years ago.
“I’d say we are very respectful of the manufacturers in Germany but if we get the call, and we can help, we’re on hand and happy to do so.”