A BOLTON girls football team are trying to raise £5,000 so they can test themselves against some of the best foreign sides.

Academy Girls Under-14s lay claim to be among the best teams in Britain after winning 48 games and losing just one out of 50.

Now they want to see how they compare against some of the best overseas outfits at a prestigious tournament in Holland at Easter.

The competition attracts hundreds of teams from all over the world and Academy Juniors have started raising funds to get there.

After winning the league and cup double last season, going through the season unbeaten, and starting this season in similar good form coach Emma Thompson has entered them into the Holland Easter Open Tour 2017.

Now the players and their parents are planning to launch a series of fundraising events to turn the exciting prospect of competing in a top foreign tournament into a reality.

Thompson, who has been coaching the girls for nearly five years, said the Holland event was the ideal platform for the team to showcase their talents.

“If you saw the intensity that the girls show in training twice a week in all weathers you would realise there’s no complacency, despite the fact they have won 48 out of 50 games and only lost one,” she said.

“After winning the West Lancashire league and cup in 2015/16 we also entered the North Manchester Girls League, and the girls have a 100-per-cent record, so I decided they should compete in the Holland tournament next Easter to test themselves against the best teams in Europe and even further afield.”

The team plan to take a squad of 15 players and estimate they will need to raise up to £5,000 to cover flights, accommodation and kit.

“It’s a big financial commitment for the parents but they were unanimous in agreeing we should go,” said Thompson.

“Team spirit is everything in football and I’m convinced the team spirit they show on the pitch will come to the fore in raising the money.

“The money will only go towards paying for the girls as the parents and family will pay for themselves.

“If we do manage to raise more than £5,000 the surplus will go to Academy Juniors, which is passionate about championing girls’ football in the North West.”

Thompson said the girls were hoping to raise the money with a series of events and by approaching local businesses.

For more information on the team's fundraising progress visit @AJsHolland2017 on Twitter.