THREE good causes have "won" a Boro player and £2,000 each through the Barclays Premier League's groundbreaking Creating Chances scheme, which was officially launched this week.

Defender Tony McMahon attended the event in London along with representatives from every other top flight club.

Boro's Creating Chances Ambassador, children's TV presenter Kirsten O'Brien, from Nunthorpe, was also present. 

Boro received almost 80 applications from charities and good causes throughout Teesside and the north-east through the exciting scheme, which celebrates the club's wide-ranging community work.

The club's judging panel had a tough choice choosing just three winners, together with 20 runners-up, who will each receive £2,000.

But the club has now confirmed the winning trio as Abbey Hill Special School in Billingham, the Safer Middlesbrough Partnership and the Carers' Resource in Harrogate.

Along with each receiving a £2,000 cash boost, they can now look forward to personal appearances from Boro stars to help raise awareness of their projects and create fundraising opportunities.

Diane O'Connell, Boro's Community Liaison Officer, said: "The standard of applications we received was fantastic and made choosing just three winners extremely difficult.

"But Abbey Hill, the Carers' Resource and the Safer Middlesbrough Partnership had each put great thought and innovation into how they would make the most of having a Boro player visit their scheme.

"We're also delighted to have been able to give out almost £50,000 to local causes. The donation of £2,000 will make a real impact to many local charities and not-for-profit organisations."

During a hectic month of September, Boro players will also be making community appearances for the club's chosen charities, Teesside Hospice and Butterwick Children's Hospice.

And they will be helping out at events for MFC's own education projects, The Enterprise Academy, Football First and Heading for Health.

Boro's 20 runners-up, each receiving £2,000, were:

*Barnardos SECOS

*The Clarke Lister Appeal

*Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY)

*Daisy Chain Project

*Eston Labour Club (for the Great North Air Ambulance) Grangetown Netball

*Holistic Cancer Care

*Macmillan

*Middlesbrough Disabled Supporters Association

*Middlesbrough Live at Home Scheme

*Mike Findley MND Fund

*Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre

*North Yorkshire Crimebeat

*Samaritans

*Sea Cadets

*St Michael's School, Billingham (for Help the Aged)

*The Twe12th Man

*Whale Hill Community Association

*York & District MIND

*Zoe's Place