Everyone’s favourite Chester sex shop Nice ‘n’ Naughty has done it again, showing off its community spirit with pride by sponsoring Formby-based Sunday League football club Pines FC and helping them out with their first new kit in more than four seasons to get them ready for what 2024 has to bring.

As some of you may well remember, this isn’t the first time that Nice ‘n’ Naughty has tried to sponsor local teams before and if you rewind 18 years or so ago, you’ll recall that the brand had been keen to sponsor Southport Trinity Cricket Club for their new kits, but it just wasn’t to be.

The move prompted serious outcry, with the ECC banning the shop from any form of sponsorship within the world of cricket… quite the scandal at the time, we can assure you!

To ensure that this was the right decision for Nice ‘n’ Naughty this time round, brand founder Trish Murray went to meet members of the football club to discuss the idea of sponsorship and new kits. 

As she was chatting to the players, she realised that it absolutely was something that the brand had to be involved with and that the team meant so much more to the men than just playing the beautiful game, scoring goals or taking home the gold. 

It was as much about their mental health and supporting each other as individuals and team members as it was about anything else.

The players, aged between 18 and 35, enjoy a weekly outlet from daily life thanks to Pines FC, which gives them a safe space and opportunity to talk, build friendships and focus on fitness while having fun and supporting each other through life’s various struggles.

One of the players had this to say: “To us, this Sunday football is more than just a game on the park, it’s our outlet from everyday stresses, a break from the working week, a time we can go somewhere together, chat and have fun and build friendships. 

“As men we often don’t talk and build up our problems until boiling point! When we are together on a Sunday we don’t stop talking, any issues we attempt to support each other and work through them!”

Grassroots football teams like Pine FC are an essential part of the local community, allowing men to have a couple of hours each week where they focus on themselves within a community where they can be vocal, heard, understood and helped by other men with similar experiences. 

The coaches and teammates feel confident and comfortable about talking about their mental health problems, in just the same way that they would discuss their physical injuries, and this is very important. 

Mental health in a public arena is discussed daily, but for so many men, sometimes discussing this or just general day to day problems is not an easy subject to bring up with others, but in environments like this, they are able to be open and talk with others who understand. 

As with most things, the costs of running a Sunday League club has increased over the last couple of years and clubs like Pines FC aren’t able to have massive subscription costs, because many of the players have young families to support… which is why sponsorship is so very important.

Trish recalled the first time the brand tried to sponsor a local club, saying: “It really is quite surreal supporting a team again after all these years. I still remember all the uproar that occurred when we tried to support Southport Trinity Cricket Club back in 2006, but to be able to support the guys at Pine FC is incredible. 

“They do so much for their community and each other. Grassroots football really does change lives, and to be able to help in some small way means a lot to us all at Nice ‘n’ Naughty.”

Pines FC started a Go Fund Me page in 2023 in the hope that others may help support the club with all donations generated going towards covering the cost of pitch fees, insurance and supplies, as well as ensuring that the mental and physical support this club gives to each and every member of the team is not lost. 

The team play in the Championship Division of the Southport and District Amateur Football League and Nice ‘n’ Naughty is extremely proud to be in a position to sponsor the team and we wish them the best of luck for the remainder of this season and beyond.  

Who would have thought, a game of football on a Sunday would offer so much more than the opportunity than just score some goals?