Kit man Jack’s on the ball

JACK can’t physically play football but he’s a great kit man . . . here he is pictured with Rochdale FC’s kit man Jack Northover and at the back are his school friends, from left, Will Taylor, Ben Goulding and Jacob Povey

FOOTBALL-MAD youngster Jack Hurst’s heart condition stops him playing his favourite sport.

But when his school team made him kit man he took to the role like a pro - and has just met one of the best in the business.

The 11-year-old Manchester United fan from Shaw has a personal defibrillator, which limits the amount of sport he can do. The Rushcroft Primary School pupil has instead made the kit role his own

Recently Jack was invited to meet Rochdale’s Spotland ground to meet Jack Northover, the club’s kit pro for more than a decade.

Young Jack took friends Will Taylor, Jacob Povey and Ben Goulding and they talked everything kit-related before a tour of the ground.

Brian Coyle, Rushcroft Primary School deputy head teacher, said: “Jack is a really big football fan and knowing he can’t play was really upsetting so we had to get him involved in some way.

“I’m a Rochdale fan myself so I was able to arrange the visit. I thought it would be a nice treat for Jack to recognise how well he’s done.”