Thomas Jolyffe Primary School, Warwickshire U11s winners of the Midlands regional finals
Walker Books have sponsored the English Schools’ FA U11s Girls’ competition. As part of that sponsorship, I get to watch the regional finals. This week’s was the Midlands heat, held in Nottingham.
It was windy. It was wet. It was seven miles to the toilet block. None of that mattered in the end – not to Thomas Jolyffe Primary School’s Girls’ U11s anyway. After a gruelling tournament at Grove Farm Sports Ground lasting over 4 hours (not to mention all the qualifying rounds) they were the eventual winners. TJs were just too much for Willow Brook Primary, the other finalists, who’d qualified in the semis after extra time and must have used all their energy up doing so. Hard lines, you blues. Thomas Jolyffe now go to the Final on May 1st where they’ll play the group winners from the three other regions.
I watched as many games as I could. People often think that the football is going to be pretty crude at this level but they’re wrong. There was some lovely passing going on today, some excellent ball control in difficult conditions and a lot of positional awareness. The referees helped by allowing minor infringements to pass in order to allow the games to flow, which is just as it should be. Eve and Annalie from Walker Books, were impressed by how friendly and helpful everyone organizing the event was, something I guess I take for granted, being local!
Danesholme Juniors U11s
Lyndon Green v Willow Brook
Just like watching the Parrs! Red Hill Field Primary Leicestershire
presenting the medals
solid refereeing
What was really strange but wonderful for me, too, was that watching the girls play was like having my characters come alive in front of me. This was especially true when parents shouted names like ‘Megan’ and ‘Lucy’. In fact one girl from Thomas Jolyffe could have been Lucy – she looked exactly like her!
The full list of teams taking place were: Group A: St Lawrence Primary, Shropshire, St John’s Middle School, Worcs., Red Hill Primary, Leicestershire, Cavendish Primary, Humberside, St Botolph’s Priamry, Lincs.
Group B: Danesholme Juniors, Northants., Thomas Jolyffe, Warwicks., Lyndon Green Juniors, West Midlands and Willow Brook, Notts.
Well done all of you – girls, parents, teachers, ESFA representatives (especially the unruffled field-officer Kevin Wilbur). Girls’ footy rules!