Football the winner as festival is a hit

The festival hosted 13 finals over a four-day period as schools were rewarded for successful campaigns by featuring in the showpiece event.

The action is not quite over, as schools that lost out in the first round early in the season are to meet again next week for two days of Plate finals.

Support for the festival was described as 'brilliant', as co-ordinator and secretary Malcolm Webster revealed that turning out at the New Bucks Head was 'like playing at Wembley' for the little ones.

Webster said: "The atmosphere was brilliant. The crowds were very supportive, it was the best one yet for atmosphere.

"The littler they are, the more crowds you get, so for the primary schools there were 500 plus.

Seamlessly

"Parents can sometimes be difficult when supporting but it was nothing like that at all.

"Being at the Bucks Head is like Wembley for the kids. They get a bit blazé as they get older, with most of them used to the academies and good facilities."

The festival, which originally began as a one-day event for primary school youngsters, included around 60 schools and was open to boys and girls, with certain schools entering B and C teams.

Webster, who was present across the week and ensured the operation ran seamlessly, insisted that a major part of Telford & Wrekin Schools' ambitions was to help educate parents as well as pupils.

"An important word for us is inclusion," he said. "We have categories so all sorts of schools can get involved and everyone can play.

"It is a huge day in the calender for special schools. And for the small schools that have less than 100 pupils, it is a chance for them to play against each other rather than the larger schools who have far too much for them.

"In academy football it's all about being the best and poaching the best players. In Sunday football it's all about winning. For those that don't have the ability, they're more likely to drop out.

"But we want to include everybody. We have a belief that is more important that winning, it's having the right attitude.

"There's an expectation of spectators too. They're not permitted to criticise the referee or coach from the sidelines. We want to educate parents too."

TWSCFA chairman Vic Maher added: "We have enjoyed another festival of football this season which has covered the complete range of age groups for both boys and girls.

"The players have thoroughly enjoyed playing in the stadium which is special for them. Thanks are due to our main sponsor Greenhous and AFC Telford United whose support means that young players and their families will take very special memories from this year's competition."

Results – Special Schools: Southall 4-1 Mount Gilbert; Y7 Boys: Idsall 6-0 Thomas Telford B; Y9 Boys: Idsall 1-1 Thomas Telford B (TT won on pens); Y5/6 Girls: Lawley 1-0 Redhill; Y8 Boys: Thomas Telford B 2-0 William Brookes; Y10 Boys: Burton Borough 1-1 Madeley Academy(MA won on pens); Y3/4 Girls: Grange Park 4-0 Hadley; Primary Small Schools Mixed: St Peter and St Paul 1-3 Crudgington; Y3/4 Mixed: St Patricks 0-1 Redhill; Y5/6 Mixed: St Georges 0-3 Redhill; Y8/9 Girls: Idsall 3-1 Madeley Academy; Y10/11 Girls: Winners Idsall School with two wins in a three-team round robin with Madeley Academy and William Brookes; Y11 Boys: Charlton 2-3 HLC.

Pictures: Kidz in Sport