A FOOTBALL team who were the victims of a dressing room raid minutes before a big cup final have finished their season on a high - thanks to a generous donation.

The Tele reported last month how the young Greenock High School Former Pupils Under-21s were left reeling when all their valuables were stolen while they were out on the pitch warming up.

Local man David Stevenson was so sickened about the incident that he decided to step in and save the day.

As the master of the Masonic Lodge Firth of Clyde Gourock No.626 he asked his brethren to step in with a cheque for over £600.

Manager Colin McEachnie was over the moon by the donation and invited him along to training to meet the grateful squad.

David said: "I have no connections with the club, I just read the story in the Tele and I wanted to do something to help.

"It was such a shame.

"We like to do all we can to support the community and we support a lot of local good causes and charities.

"My brethren were happy to help and we came up with a figure that we thought could help."

During the break-in eight phones were taken, along with, £1,500 in cash and some of the players' watches.

The money will go along way to supporting the club, who'd vowed to help the players replace their valuables.

Manager Colin said: "This is a wonderful gesture from the lodge and we can't thank them enough.

"We are helping replace the valuables but we only have so much money.

"This helps us all so much."

The kind-hearted gesture from the local masons, who also recently supported Erskine Care Homes for UK veterans and Compassionate Inverclyde, helped brighten up a disappointing end to the team's campaign.

The players lost out in the final and then faced another defeat against Gartcairn in the West of Scotland League, preventing them from wining the title.

But Colin said: "We are keeping all the boys together for another season.

"They are a great bunch of guys."