The Grimsby Telegraph’s groundbreaking SOS: Save Our Soccer campaign has proved a success with more than 300 local teams signing up to the FIFA-backed initiative.

In the country’s first newspaper-driven campaign to clean up local football – backed by the top man in world football, Sepp Blatter – every single team that signed up will receive a free, framed certificate.

The campaign kicked off last February and has been backed by England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, the FA and several leading Premiership clubs.

And Grimsby Sunday League chairman Tony Parrott believes the campaign has helped take local football in the right direction.

He said: “There will always be the odd incident that bubbles up now and again, and there is nothing we can do about that, but it has been a success.

“But this season I have been impressed with games I have seen. The SOS campaign certainly created conversation and got people talking about the problem.”

Grimsby Sunday League side Costcutter FC were the inaugural winners of the Grimsby Telegraph SOS Fairplay Trophy – scooping £250 in the process.

Football clubs from the Grimsby Sunday League, ABP Connect Saturday League, the Kenwick Park East Lincs Combination, the Youngs Bluecrest Intermediatre League and the Gradely League have signed up.

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