A football team from Barking will be achieving a dream of a lifetime when they play in a 5-A-Side match at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Lyndhurst & Lane Ltd, a customer of Johnstone’s Leyland Decorating Centre in Barking, will play just before the kick-off of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final on April 1st 2007 after they won a national 5-A-Side contest run by the paint company.

Lyndhurst FC battled it out on 4th March 2007 to become the southern section finalists after a nail biting penalty shoot out win over S&M Decorators Suppliers, Cardiff. The family based team will now be playing against the northern section winners, Bromborough Paints FC from Liverpool, a Johnstone’s Paint stockist.

George Ling, Lyndhurst FC team captain can’t wait for the final. He said: “It was fantastic to win as the team is actually made up of just close family members, four Lings and three Willis’s. We are all fired up and ready to go and can’t wait for April 1st to arrive. We will play like we are after the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy itself.”

For the two lucky finalists the prize includes a 49-seater coach for their respective supporters with tickets to the Final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy between Bristol Rovers and Doncaster Rovers. Football kits and changing facilities will be provided for both teams and there will be a trophy and medals for the winning team as a memento of the day.

Gina Laycock, Decorating Centre Marketing Manager for Johnstone's Paint, said: “This is a once in a lifetime experience for the finalist teams. To walk out onto the pitch at The Millennium Stadium will be fantastic for them. Johnstone’s Paints wanted this competition to give something back to the fans and our customers and I think this once in a lifetime opportunity has certainly done that. “

Johnstone’s Paints offered customers and colleagues the chance to play in a special 5-A-Side tournament. Knockout rounds for the tournament kicked off in January 2007 with hundreds of players involved. It proceeded through to an Area Final stage and now the two winning teams will meet at the final on 1st April 2007.

Johnstone’s has over 170 Decorating Centres throughout the UK and Ireland offering professional advice and service as well as market leading quality and value. Its Decorating Centres are open to both professional trade and the general public. Johnstone’s UK headquarters are in Birstall, West Yorkshire, where the firm employs over 2,000 people bringing colour to the homes of millions of football fans.

For more information about the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy visit www.johnstones-paints.co.uk

Johnstone’s. Bringing colour to the beautiful game.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Johnstone’s by Sarah Allen, Connect PR, sarah@connect-group.com - 01902 714957.

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