MATTHEW Lee misses his football... and his mates are missing him as captain of their junior team.

The 13-year-old has been out of action since falling ill and being diagnosed with leukaemia just before Christmas.

It came as a shock to his family, but also to the squad, many of whom have been playing in the same Carterton boys teams since they were eight.

So, they decided to get together and raise money in the best way they could, a sponsored training session, dribbling a ball for an hour each.

Before Carterton Boys Under 13s home game against Banbury last week, they gave Matthew a Nintendo Wii - the latest computer console craze - to while away the hours indoors.

They bought it out of the £1,100 they raised in sponsorship and the rest of the money, about £750, was given to Cancer Research UK.

Matthew went with his dad Darren to watch some of the game at the Kilkenny Lane ground.

Just two days before he had been at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital for a blood transfusion. He has already undergone chemotherapy.

Mr Lee, who used to manage the team, said: "They are a really good, really loyal group of kids. They've all been together since they were under eights and Matt's really thankful for what they've done."

Matt and the rest of the team are all pupils at Carterton Community College, but his diagnosis of leukaemia came out of the blue before Christmas.

Mr Lee said: "For a couple of weeks he had not been himself. He is usually someone with loads of energy. You put it down to colds.

"We took him to the doctors and the day after they took a blood test we were told he had leukaemia. We've never had it in the family before, so it came as a shock.

"He's not bad at the moment, he has his good days and then not so good the next. My wife Sharon has had to give up work to look after him, that's how life is at the moment."

Glenn Campbell, former assistant manager of the team, which plays in the A league of the Witney and District Boys, has taken over from Mr Lee.

He said: "As soon as the boys found out, they wanted to do something for him.

"They are all very close and stick together for each other. I thought it was really good the lads wanted to do this all by themselves. They are a great bunch."