Northampton dads will stick together as new Sunday League team after raising £5,700 in charity football match

The dads of Niamh's Legacy first met each other after captain Rob Allen lost his daughter Niamh, who sadly died in the womb three days before she was due.

Rob organised a charity match at Sixfields in May and brought together a team of other fathers who had lost their children to stillbirth and neonatal complications.

They played Eastern Eagles in front of a crowd of 300 supporters and raised £5,721 for the neonatal and stillborn charity SANDS, which supports grieving families.

Now, the dads will form a new Sunday League team - SANDS united - so they can stick together and offer other fathers who have lost children support.

Rob said: "When you lose a child you feel like no one will understand. Family will always love you and be there for you but in the end, they can't understand.

"When you talk to people who have been through it too there's a level of understanding that you just share. Having a bunch of guys who know where your head's at is great.

"There's still a lot of dads out there who need support. The football will get everyone together and help people who don't necessarily want to talk about it have somewhere to be."

Sands help families with support groups, bereavement midwives and a dedicated room - the Snowdrop Suite - at Northampton General Hospital so parents can spend time with their child.