Instead of their names, Bollington United’s players have popular menu choices such as jalfrezi, tandoori and bhuna written on their backs.

The Stockport Metro League seven-a-side team line-up now features Spencer ‘Tikka’ Hall, Oliver ‘Jalfrezi’ Gaunt, Jackson ‘Madras’ Mather, Will ‘Tandoori’ Richardson, Caleb ‘Rogan Josh’ Rogers, Sam ‘Bhuna’ Baistow, Paddy ‘Kurma’ Watts and Tom ‘Vindaloo’ Boyd.

The under-nines team hail from Cheshire, home to wealthy stars of Manchester United – whose old boss Sir Alex Ferguson used the ‘squeaky bum’ phrase to describe end of season nerves.

The boys picked their favourite dishes to have emblazoned on their shirts, after the town’s Viceroy restaurant agreed to sponsor them in return for having its name on the front.