Golcar footballer Jordan Wimpenny joins forces with his idol Manchester United's Wayne Rooney

Nov 6 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“I’ve always been into football and I’d like to help other people enjoy it as much as I do.”

Jordan can be seen on Wayne Rooney’s Street Striker – the nationwide hunt for the best street football talent in the country – this Sunday at 8pm.

He beat off competition from thousands of youngsters to impress the judges and net a place on the show.

On the show he will join 23 teenagers and go head to head in front of Rooney in the three-part show.

Jordan will take on a series of street football challenges to win the competition and the top prize which is the chance to attend next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

Rooney, who judges the youngsters on the show, this week became a dad for the first time when wife Colleen gave birth to son Kai.

Said Wayne: “Jordan did very well to be selected for the show as the level of competition this year was tough.

“I was really impressed by his ball skills and touch as he worked really hard on it. There are some great street football challenges on the show and they’re really not easy.”

Street football facts

The idea of freestyle or unorganised football came from America and is becoming more popular in the UK with an annual Street football festival.

Players like Jordan were required to take part in a series of urban-based challenges to test their control of the ball, accuracy, agility, speed and technique.

Kirklees Council runs a street soccer scheme every week at St John Fisher School in Dewsbury which has more than 100 players.