YOUNG Barrhead footballers pitched in to raise almost £200 in memory of a former coach and teacher who died this summer.

Dozens of schoolchildren from Barrhead and Neilston took to the park in honour of long-serving Carlibar Primary PE teacher Graham Hodgson.

The £180 generated by the mass kickabout will be put towards a commemorative plaque for the man known to many as “Spam”, who died in July, aged 60, from a suspected stroke.

The plaque will take pride of place at Carlibar Primary’s multi-use games area, which is set to be renamed “Spam’s Park” – a nickname which stemmed from Graham’s own school days.

David Woods, Carlibar Primary janitor and assistant football team coach, collected the cheque on behalf of the school from St John’s Primary captains Louise Pattison and Zach Stewart.