A VILLAGE football club’s reserve team drew its biggest crowd for years... thanks to an appearance by X Factor star Olly Murs.

The singing sensation turned out for Coggeshall Town Reserves as they took on Great Bentley Reserves on Saturday.

Great Bentley won the Kent Blaxill Essex and Suffolk Border League division two match 3-1, but the 30-year-old Troublemaker singer was the star of the show.

Tim Tricker, from Great Bentley Football Club, said: “The first we knew that he was playing was when the Coggeshall manager gave us their team sheet before the game with Olly Murs at number nine.

“Olly is a good player, who turned out at senior level for Witham Town before he became famous, and it was good to see him giving 100 per cent playing with his mates in the more humble surroundings of Great Bentley Green.

“There was great excitement and a few squeals every time he got the ball, although he couldn't quite oblige his fans with a goal.”