It may not be a ticket to a new job but it may just be a wee lift over the turnstile to a better life.

Steven Naismith, the Everton and Scotland forward, has bought tickets for every one of his club's home matches and is donating them to the unemployed across Liverpool.

The player was at Toxteth Jobcentreplus yesterday to give tickets to the first two supporters who have been chosen by a neutral panel to watch Everton at Goodison Park.

Naismith said: "I come from Ayrshire and spent a lot of my life in Glasgow - a city that has suffered from high unemployment at times. Liverpool has a similar history and I am aware that, through no fault of their own, there are many in the city who are trying to find a job and may not be able to afford a ticket.''

Roberta Bucktrout, 60, of Aintree, and Jamie Ross, 39, of Waterloo, were the first recipients and they spoke of their gratitude and surprise at the gesture by one of their favourite players.

Both are lifelong Everton fans but have found the price of tickets - an average of around £40 - beyond them. Ms Bucktrout said: "I rarely get to see a match so this is wonderful news.''

Ross, proudly displaying a tattoo of the club motto on his forearm, said he was a fan of both Naismith and Duncan Ferguson, the Scot who is now a coach at the club and "was grateful for the Scottish hospitality''.

It was a special day for Ross as he also received the tickets and the news that he had secured a job at a security firm.

Mary McGinley, head of external relations for Merseyside district, explained that Naismith had approached the Jobcentre, asking how he could help and whether it could organise a scheme.

She said: "It is a revolutionary move and we were so pleased to be asked to help.

"We know this is not a scheme to give people a job but it helps people with their confidence and motivation. Many of our customers are vulnerable and this helps them to feel better about themselves.''

Naismith, who was brought up in Stewarton, said: "I have had friends and family who have been unemployed and I have witnessed what this can do to families. It is important to recognise that people who are in this situation are just the same as you and me.''

The former Rangers and Kilmarnock player joked about his employment history that included a spell as a newspaper boy. "It was the only real job I have had,'' he said.

"I thought it would be easier than delivering milk.''

He added that he knew how fortunate he was to have entered the world of professional sport straight from school. "I cannot imagine what it is like to be unemployed and struggling to find a job so I am delighted to help in any way.''

Naismith, also has sponsored dinners for the homeless in both Glasgow and Merseyside, and is an ambassador for Dyslexia Scotland.