Fledgling Chapelhall FC are boosting players' mental health in county village

Chapelhall FC will kick their first league ball during the summer, having been borne of a hunger for the game in the village but, more importantly, to help struggling players with their mental health battles.Pharmacist Mos Raza says players have expressed their gratitude to him and fellow coaches Ryan Bowes and Pearse Kelly for starting the club.A desire for football in the village was exemplified when more than 200 people turned up to watch their first game, but they currently face a battle with North Lanarkshire Council to establish a proper base for games.Mos is assistant to boss Ryan Bowes, with Pearse Kelly in as head coach of the club, which is not associated with the previous amateur side in the village.Raza, 28, said: “We’re a completely separate entity to Chapelhall AFC, but we were formed on the basis that the previous team used to garner a lot of support from the locals and that’s why we thought we would bring football back to the village.“Another reason why we’re doing it is the mental health side of things as well.“I’m a pharmacist and I’ve seen a lot of patients who have suffered from mental health over the course of the last couple of years.“I felt that it was a good opportunity for us to tap into this, with the passion that the three of us have for football as well, so I think we’re doing this the right way.“The way that we run the club is so transparent.

The boys know everything and they can almost have a say, or a vote if you like, on everything that happens.“One of the main things is that it’s so good to see the boys messaging us separately and saying ‘I was in a really bad place before I knew about your team and now I feel like my life’s worth living’ or ‘I enjoy looking forward to Wednesdays and