BUSINESSMAN and proud dad Keith Burr has put his money where his mouth is and has sponsored his daughter’s soccer team.

Keith Burr, who runs branding and corporate clothing specialist Recognition Express in Newbury and Reading, spends most of his weekends standing on touchlines supporting his daughter Evagaline and her friends who play seven-a-side soccer.

Evagaline, who is known as Evie to her friends and family, plays in the nearest league which is in the Winchester area and when the team were looking for a brand new kit her father agreed to back them.

The 17-year-old and her team-mates have now got a brand new eye-catching purple strip complete with a Recognition Express logo emblazoned on the front of the shirt.

Keith said: “Evie has always been mad on all kinds of sport and she is studying it at A Level in college. I am not sure what she is going to do for a job yet but I am sure it will be something to do with sport.

“Everyone who knows Evie knows how crazy she is about sport and football, she is always busy doing some kind of activity and it is usually something to do with football. She is practicing all the time and the league she pays in is really quite competitive.”

Mr Burr added: “The kit the team had was getting a bit old and it had definitely seen better days. To be honest with you the team were in desperate need of a new kit. It in a pretty bad state and it was nice to be able to do my bit for the team and the girls.

“They look really smart in the new kit and the girls all seem really pleased with the kit, they are now one of the smartest teams in the league.

“Here at Recognition Express we do all kinds of corporate and branded clothing from polo shirts to tops and T shirts. I managed to help Evie and the team out and it is good for the profile of my company as well because we have got our logo on the front of the shirts.

“You could say it is a win-win situation for everyone involved. The team gets a new kit and we get our logo on the front. Let us hope the smart new look gives them a boost and they can go out and win even more games.”

Ken who is also the father of a teenage boy was born close to Stamford Bridge and has always been a key Chelsea fan but now his daughter has started playing most weekends he spends all his time supporting her team.

Mr Burr has run the Recognition Express franchise in Newbury for just under three years and is delighted with the business and is always busy dealing with customers.

He said: “Things are really tough for everyone at the moment but we are keeping busy and our customers seemed to be pleased with the service we offer them.

“We are doing really well and we are getting lots of business in the Newbury and Reading area. You have to work really hard and go the extra mile for the customers but we are more than happy with the way the business is performing given current the state of the economy.”

Recognition Express is the UK’s leading franchise specialising in badge manufacture, signs, business gifts, plaques, awards, promotional products and corporate clothing.