Wrekin up for the cup as festival is a big hit
Wrekin Juniors Football Club finally have a summer tournament to shout about again after their recent festival of football proved a major success.
Going back a decade the amateur club were renowned for hosting the Wrekin Grassroots Cup, which catered for youngsters from the ages of under-6 to under-18. It was one of the most renowned competitions in the region, led by outgoing chairman Brian Chambers.
But now, under the guidance of Wrekin Tigers under-7s boss and vice-chairman Darriel Terry, Wrekin once again drew the crowds in with more than 600 gathering to cheer on 24 teams.
The under-7s tournament, held at Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT), was styled on a Champions League format, with four groups of six teams entering.
And to give as many youngsters the chance to play as possible, each group’s top two qualified for the Wrekin Cup, with the third and fourth-placed teams entering the Grassroots Trophy.
Host club Tigers, who are managed by Terry and set to move base to Ercall Wood College in Wellington, landed the Cup with a dramatic 1-0 final victory over Telford rivals Randlay Colts.
Willenhall outfit Sporting Khalsa took home the Grassroots gong, after a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out victory over Blackhawks FC under-7s from Cheshire.
And Terry, from Telford, was delighted at how the festival played out.
He said: “We’ve had feedback from some managers saying that it was the best summer tournament they’ve been to this year.
“Taking up the vice-chairman position I gathered a few parents and decided to do it off my own back. TCAT have been absolutely fantastic. There was a good atmosphere, a real buzz about the place and the sun was shining. All of the effort to set it up was worthwhile.”
Teams came from as far afield as Cheshire and south Birmingham, with Shropshire neighbours competing alongside West Midlands and Black Country sides. Terry, whose son George featured for the champions Tigers, is now keen to emulate the success of the tournament next year and beyond.
Wrekin Juniors are recruiting for their Mini-Soccer teams and are keen to attract new players between the ages of three-and-a-half and eight. For further details visit www.wrekinjuniors.co.uk/wp/contact-us/
