EAST LANCASHIRE is set to play a major role in helping to promote Indian football in both this country and abroad.

A network has been created to highlight grassroots football in Britain and forge better links with football authorities in South Asia.

The project has been set up by the Indian Supporters Football Club who have called on Blackburn United for their help.

Two delegates from United attended the first ever Indian football conference in Northampton and will now play a major role in helping to run the ISFC website.

Now Blackburn United's director of football, Salim Sidat has joined the ISFC project which aims to put talented youngsters in the spotlight and organise tours and coaching courses in Indian.

Mr Sidat, who was joined at the conference by Mohamed Matador, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to promote Indian football and I am only too pleased to get involved.

"The ultimate aim is to get more Indian players in our professional teams and this site is going to be the perfect way to promote players who have talent."

He added: "We also want to send representative sides from this country out to India to play in tournaments and help out with the coaching side of the game."

Dr Jim Mills, a lecturer in history at the University College in Northampton, co-ordinated the two day event.

He said: "I was very impressed with what Salim and Mohammed had to say and was particularly impressed with the set-up of Blackburn United Football Club.

"They are a well established and organised club and will be an invaluable asset in helping us to promote South Asian football. Mr Sidat came up with some very good ideas at the conference, ideas we would like to see come into practice."

The conference, which attracted Indian football fans from across the world, coincided with the British tour of the Indian national side who played both Fulham and West Brom as part of their World Cup warm-up.