A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy from Winsford who has severe hearing loss has been given a renewed love for football thanks to a unique relationship with his coach.

Willow Wood pupil, Mason Bogue, who was born deaf, plays in goal for Witton Warriors under 10s.

His mum Nicola says he struggled to integrate into the team until his coach Chris Leigh agreed to try something new.

Mason now wears a hearing device while playing, which is linked to Chris on the side-lines, meaning he can communicate and be given feedback and praise.

After starting to wear the device last season, Mason was given a boost of confidence and even won the parent’s player of the season award.

Nicola said: “He did play for a bit without the device but he didn’t really feel a part of the team. When he started wearing it, it just gave him so much more confidence.

“He’s a lot happier and more into his football now. Before he’d just turn up and play but now he wants to be more involved.

“He wears it at school and I had the idea to try it out at football, so I asked Chris and he had no hesitation. I’m just so grateful that Chris and the other coaches have been so accommodating and have helped Mason feel a part of the team and enjoy playing football.”

With 21 junior teams, including disability teams and girl’s teams, Witton Juniors promotes the ethos of encouraging everyone to take part.

Chris said: “The club philosophy is ‘everybody is welcome’. We don’t think, ‘there’s our goalkeeper who’s deaf. It’s just Mason, our goalkeeper, and he has a lot of ability.

“He’s just a kid that wants to play football and it’s great that this has made him more confident in doing that.”

Nicola, 38, is also currently going through treatment for breast cancer and the club decided to pull together and raise money for her and her sons Mason and Liam, 14, to go for a weekend away to Centre Parcs.

Nicola added: “I’m so overwhelmed with the generosity. I couldn’t believe it at the time, I couldn’t even speak.”