A NEW senior seven-a-side league has been launched in Rishton and teams are now invited to join.

The league will be held on the artificial pitches are Norden High School and is due to commence the first week of August.

Matches will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays (kick off 7-10pm) and there are also plans to run an overs 35s veterans league on a Sunday afternoon.

There is no membership fee but teams have to pay £18 for each game which includes referee fees.

Teams wishing to enter must be affiliated to the Lancashire FA.

The league is being run by Ismail Esat - who is well know in the world of East Lancashire amateur sport.

Esat is the referees' appointment secretary for the Blackburn Sunday League and the East Lancashire Football Alliance. He is also head of recruitment for the Blackburn Referees Association.

He also has years of experience of running local amateur leagues, both in football and other sports.

"This is an area I have worked for a long time and I know how popular seven a side leagues are," he said.

"We don't have a limit on teams so it would be great to get as many teams as possible to enter and we can run a few divisions."

Deadline for teams wishing to join in July 15.

For more details, contact Ismail Esat on 07736 317413 or email him at ishy40@aol.com