"OUR aim is to get the kids off the streets and bring everyone together through the game of football." Such is the sentiment of Bradford club Toller FC according to club stalwart Waqas Khan.

After forming in 2012, it has not always been plain sailing but as Waqas explains, the Thornton-based side are now very much on the up.

Waqas, who helped established the club along with his brother Akif, believes Toller have now reached a point where players are proud to represent them after tough beginnings.

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He said: "At first, we had a few lads giving the club a bad name.

"They just wanted to fight but that has all changed now.

"The word is now out that Toller is a genuine group of lads who have a passion for the game.

"Some of the lads were in dark places when we first started. Toller has helped them get busy and stay productive.

"The majority of our players come from Manningham and Girlington, notoriously crime-related areas. Our aim is to get the kids off the streets.

"They like mixing in with different cultures and religions, which is what the game is all about.

"There are not many opportunities in Bradford these days so we want to get everyone together through the game of football."

Starting a football club is an extremely tough task.

How do you find good enough players, where do you play, what standard do you enter? These are all questions that the ambitious brothers must have been asking themselves even before they considered the financial implications of the project.

However, the pair think it was their passion for the sport which helped, along with the talent in the local area.

Waqas said: "We were playing at 17 and got to the stage, where we wanted to do something ourselves.

"We are competitive so we thought let's create our own team and see where it gets us.

"We already had a few numbers so we put the money together and have had fun ever since.

"It was a challenge because we were new to the game, although we knew so many lads in the area had lots of potential.

"Having set up tournaments prior to that for charity, we formed in 2012 with our own money.

Waqas also credits his brother Akif for financing the club, adding: "It is very hard.

"We are using our social media followers to try gain exposure.

"We have a sponsor who put in a couple of hundred quid but a lot of the money comes through my brother.

"Some people like to go out partying and get drunk but this is his choice of spending his money so credit to him.

"People have not noticed what he has done. The guy loves the game and wants to help."

Now doing well in the Supreme Division of the Yorkshire Amateur League following their switch from the now defunct West Riding County Amateur League, Toller have been attracting some of the area's best players down to Leaventhorpe Lane.

The ninth-placed side will also face Salts FC in a huge District Cup semi-final after crushing Grangefield 5-1, star striker Kamran Khan bagging a hat-trick.

Waqas welcomes the increased competition and is hoping for a good crowd down at Kingsway.

He said: "After being promoted several times in the last few years, we have been put in this league which is a step up from the Sunday League we used to play.

"Now playing on a Saturday, we play alongside the likes of Farsley Celtic and Horsforth St Margrets, big teams with big reputations.

"We now face Salts at Eccleshill in the semis which will be a massive game."

So what plans are in the works in the future for this young club? A shot up the football pyramid?

The Khan brothers only have one prime target on their agenda. "We just want to carry on and continue to help the kids of Bradford," said Waqas.