YOUNG football fans from Newport met their footballing idols, including Wales’ all-time leading goal scorer Gareth Bale.

Social housing provider Newport City Homes teamed up with Lovell Homes, sending out invitations to youth and football clubs across Ringland to watch Wales' football team train.

The budding footballers watched the session ahead of Wales' crunch UEFA 2020 Qualifier against Croatia – which saw Wales earn a vital draw – which was followed by a meet and greet, where they chatted to the players and got autographs.

One youngster said: “It’s a great opportunity to come here with all my friends and to meet so many of our inspirational people and I got a football shirt signed by Ryan Giggs for my team, Albion Rovers.”

South Wales Argus:

(Harry Wilson and Ethan Ampadu pose for a photo with some of the budding footballers)

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South Wales Argus:

(Gareth Bale, Real Madrid and Wales star, poses for a photo with all the youngsters)

Chairman of the board at Newport City Homes, Nicola Sommerville, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for these young people to meet their football heroes and a great example of how partnerships can really benefit the local community."

South Wales Argus:

(Gareth Bale, Wales' all-time leading scorer, poses with youngsters)

Bernadette Vickery, community coordinator at Lovell, added: “We are thrilled to have been able to make dreams come true for these young people and we take pride in being able to build and develop communities in the areas we work in.”

Newport City Homes is carrying out a £30 million regeneration project to build 163 new homes and commercial properties in Ringland and the surrounding area.

They are working with developer Lovell Homes to deliver the first phase of the Ringland master plan, the £7 million project in Cot Farm, with £4.9 million in grant funding from the Welsh Government.