Primary Schools and Saltley FA

2015/2016 Season: A Review County Schools’ FA League Winners First ever ESPSFA U11s team to win this!

West Midlands County Schools’ FA Cup Winners First BPSFA district to win this outright since the 1980s!

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Cup Winners First ever ESPSFA U11s team to win this!

Birmingham Primary Schools’ Futsal Cup Winners First ever ESPSFA U11s team to win this!

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA 7-a-side Cup Winners

Bath International Cup Winners First ever ESPSFA team to win this!

English Schools’ FA West Midlands Cup First ever ESPSFA team to win this!

Midland Challenge Trophy First ever ESPSFA team to retain this! 2015/2016 Season: Under 11s Player School Club Blessing Court Farm Birmingham City Cameron Gunter Walsall Cameron Marsh Hill Phoenix United St. Mary and St. Aston Villa Cian T John Diago Featherstone Football Futures Harvey Heathlands Bromford Lions Ilani Yenton Aston Villa Kane Hodge Hill Aston Villa Kye St. Barnabas Sutton United Oakley Marsh Hill TBTK Pharelle Abbey Holly Lane Rio Birches Green Coventry City Robert Gunter Boldmere Falcons Sam Marsh Hill Walsall Samim Birches Green Mere Green Taylor Coleborne Kingshurst Tion Yenton Phoenix United Troy Marsh Hill Birmingham City 2015/2016 Season: Under 10s Player School Club Aidan Abbey Aston Villa Blessing Court Farm Birmingham City Bobby Broadmeadow Bromford Lions Brad Oval Shard End Royals Bradley Brookvale Cameron Marsh Hill Phoenix United Carter St. Wilfred’s Bromford Lions Che Featherstone Cooksey Lane St. Mary and St. Aston Villa Cian T John Danny Gunter Boldmere St. Mikes Eddie Paget Sutton United Gerard Abbey Boldmere Falcons Ilani Yenton Aston Villa Kian Gunter Phoenix United St. Mary and St. Aston Villa Reece John Resharne Brookvale Aston Villa Taylor Colborne Kingshurst Tiarno St. Clement’s Phoenix United William Abbey Phoenix United End of Season Awards 2015/16

Kane Taylor Under 11s Top Scorer 2015/16; 65 goals All Time Leading Goal Scorer; 89 goals, 2014 - 2016 Ilani Edwards Under 10s Player of the Season 2015/16 End of Season Awards 2015/16

Troy Smikle-James Under 11s Player of the Season 2015/16 Cameron Eubank Under 10s Top Goal Scorer 2015/16; 27 goals

City of Birmingham Team 2015/16 Troy, Sam, Kane, Kye, Rio and Cameron P 2015/2016 Highlights Bath International Cup

Saturday 29th August 2015

Erdington and Saltley 0-0 North Somerset Schools Erdington and Saltley 0-1 Everton Erdington and Saltley 0-1 Rayo Vallecano Erdington and Saltley 0-0 B93 Erdington and Saltley 0-4 Chelsea

As a result of Saturday’s results, we competed in the Europa League on the Sunday.

Sunday 30th August 2015

Erdington and Saltley 0-0 North Somerset

Erdington and Saltley 0-0 B93

Erdington and Saltley 5-1 Mastshuggets BK

Erdington and Saltley 4-0 FC Vilnius

Erdington and Saltley 2-0 Bath

By the end of Sunday we were crowned winners of the Bath International Cup!

Team: Harvey, Sam, Brandon, Kye, Ilani, Harvey, Rio, Samim, Tion, Jermaine, Cameron, Blessing, Pharelle and Diago 2015/2016 Highlights BPSFA 6-a-side

Saturday 18th September 2015 @Heartlands Academy

Gold Team: Rob, Kye, Sam, Rio, Troy, Kane and Ilani

Goals: Kye, Rio x 2, Troy x 5 and Kane x 7

Black and White Team: Daniel, Diago, Tamiel, Harvey, Oakley, Tion, Blessing, Cam- eron, Pharelle and Jakeel

Goals: Pharelle x 3, Cameron, Oakley x 2

Two tournaments into the season and two wins for this group of incredibly talented young men. Following the achievement of winning the Bath International Cup over the August Bank holiday weekend, the lads put in another stunning performance to be crowned 6-a-side champions of Birmingham for the second time in three years.

During the course of the morning both teams showed immense promise, as well as superb footballing talent.

The black and white team missed out on a place in the semi final thanks to the last second equaliser that they conceded against Aston. However they regrouped to claim a win against East Birmingham in the final of the secondary competition. One of the most pleasing things about the morning was the fact that u10s Cameron and Blessing competed so well against their older peers, as well as the new boys who all settled in well after making their debuts. Very exciting indeed.

The gold team cruised through their group after scoring eight goals in their three games and conceding only one. Then in the semi final they beat Aston before squaring up against a very talented team. The boys hit top form in the final, putting three past Sutton and keeping their fourth clean sheet in five games. The football that the boys played was breath-taking and many of the par- ents in the crowd complimented the lads on their football style. An truly amazing morning.

The start of the season couldn’t have gone any better for the boys. We’ve been blessed over the past few years with the talent at our disposal and it seems we’ve got another great group, but we knew that already! 2015/2016 Highlights BPSFA Futsal

Saturday 19th December 2015 @ Birmingham Futsal Centre

BPSFA Futsal Championship: Winners

Team A: Rob, Sam, Kane, Rio, Cameron P and Kye

Team B: Gerard, Taylor, Cameron E, Tion, Samim and Diago

The first half of this season has been full of many highs, but also a few lows too. Prior to Saturday we had competed in five competitions, winning two of them and losing out narrowly in the finals of the other three. In fact our last three fixtures were all for sil- verware and all against Sutton Coldfield. Unfortunately we lost all three of them. However the words of the greatest bas- ketball player in the history of the world spring to mind when I think about this group of boys:

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan

As well as this ancient Japanese proverb:

“Fall seven times and stand up eight.”

Perseverance is so important in sport and this set of incredibly talented boys showed it in abun- dance on the weekend by dominating the BPSFA Futsal Championship and monopolising the final.

The B Team started off their campaign slowly, losing 3-2 to Aston after fighting back from two goals down to level the game at 2-2, before conceding a third goal. However in their next game they bounced back in style, putting six goals past Harborne. In their final game they knew only a win would get them out of the group stage. Working their socks off against arguably the favourites of the tournament Sutton Coldfield, the lads kept their first clean sheet of the tournament and capitalised thanks to a Samim goal.

The A Team started off the day like a steam train, putting seven past East Birmingham and another six past Harborne, conceding only two in the process. Already safely through the group, the lads squared up against Sutton Coldfield determined to break the Sutton hoodoo. Nevertheless a game packed full of goals went against us and we lost 4-3.

In the semi-finals both teams were up against opponents who has beat the other Ton team during the group stages. The A Team took on Aston, who had beat the B Team, whilst the B Team took on conquerors of the A Team, Sutton Coldfield.

With three of the starting five under 10s, the B Team started off their semi-final as the underdogs. However after taking an early lead they never looked back and stormed into a 4-0 lead before conceding with the final kick of the game. A truly stunning performance. One that I’ll never forget.

Meanwhile the A Team were putting on a great show of their own, putting four foals past Aston and controlling the game throughout.

That meant it was an all Ton final. It was a strange affair as we didn’t really know who to support, so chose to stay out of it and leave the lads to it! The A Team ended the game as 4-1 winners and with it came the title. However the most pleasing thing about the final was the fact the the A Team lads shared the victory with the B Team players and the sense of unity was something spe- cial.

A great way to end 2015! 2015/2016 Highlights ESFA Trophy

Saturday 19th March 2016 @ Wolverhampton Wanders FC

English Schools’ FA/Premier League West Midlands 9-a-side Championship

Team: Rob, Sam, Kye, Diago, Tion, Kane, Troy, Rio, Cameron and Samim

Goals: Troy x 2, Kane, Rio and Cameron

Man of the Match: It would have been easy and justifiable to give it to every single one of the ten lads, such was the contribution that they all made. Plus to complete the day without conceding a sin- gle goal illustrates the solidity of our sensational defence. However we think it’s only right to give it to Robbo. Playing in goal can be lonely at times and very unforgiving, yet Robbo managed to ignore the pressure of the penalty shootout to save two penalties and help the lads lift the trophy!

Results:

Group Stage:

Erdington and Saltley 2 – 0 Harborne (Troy and Cameron)

Erdington and Saltley 1 – 0 Aston (Rio)

Erdington and Saltley 0 – 0 Solihull

Erdington and Saltley 1 – 0 Dudley (Kane)

Semi-final:

Erdington and Saltley 1 – 0 Sutton Coldfield (Troy)

Final:

Erdington and Saltley 0 – 0 Wolverhampton (The Ton win 6-5 on pens)

The headline of this article sums it up perfectly. If one of the world’s greatest ever sportsmen has said it, it must be true! Yesterday’s success was down to nothing other than the ‘team’. It wasn’t about a single individual or a single piece of magic. It was down to ‘sweating the small stuff’. By that I mean the ugly stuff that victories are built on. Time and time again we chased down lost balls and turned them into a corner or a throw. Time and time again we won our aerial battles. Tine and time again we won 50/50 tackles.

Time and time again we gave more than our oppo- nents.

That’s why we won. It’s as simple as that.

We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.

Game One: A two goal victory over Harborne made for a pleasing start to the day. Although far from first gear, the boys scored a couple of great team (there’s that word again) goals. In previous seasons those goals might not have happened as we’ve previously lacked the selflessness that this group of boys possess.

Game Two: Despite being asked to move the ball quicker, the boys couldn’t quite reach the heights that they would later in the day, although this was possibly down to the 30 minute wait in between game one and two. Nevertheless another clean sheet and another fine goal meant the lads had done the job against Aston and claimed the three points.

Game Three: We were now moving the ball much quicker. However this meant that we gave away possession a little more than we had during the first two games. Solihull caused us a number of problems but the lads stood firm and finished the game with a third clean sheet and their seventh point of the day.

Game Four: Knowing that the winner would top the league, the boys went and stepped it up a gear against Dudley, winning thanks to a Kane finish. By now you’ll know how the game ended…with another clean sheet!

Semi-final: 2015/16 rivals Sutton Coldfield awaited us in the last four and it was at this stage that the boys really found their flow. Battling and scrapping for every- thing, the lads ran themselves into the ground and left everything out on the pitch. We often talk to the lads about never losing a game due to a lack of effort and they took these words on board against Sutton, giving it 110%. The only goal of the game came from Troy but it was the defensive solidity of the team that earned us a place in the final.

Final: Squaring up against a very different Wolverhampton team to the one that we’ve played at any other point in the season, the boys knew they would have to find a similar performance to the semi-final if they were to lift their fourth piece of silverware of the season. With the defence keeping the Wolves’ number 12 at arms’ length, the attack worked away in the final third, creating a few chances that went agonisingly wide. As the ref blew for full-time we felt we had had the better of the game and went into the lottery that is penalties full of confidence. Before the shoot out we asked the boys to sort out the takers between themselves. Kane, Troy, Rio and Cameron all scored their penalties to mean the score was 4-4 after the first 8 expertly taken penalties. Enter Robbo. Diving to his right, the Gun- ter shot stopper tipped the ball over the bar which meant we were in the driving seat for the first time in the shoot out. Agonisingly, Samim’s penalty went narrowly wide to throw the tie wide open once again.

Caught on the spot, the lads realised that they hadn’t considered who was going to take the sixth penalty! That meant Kye “volunteered” (although he knew nothing about it!) and slotted the ball away to level the scores at five pens apiece.

With the tension bordering on unbearable, the unflappable Robbo stepped be- tween the posts, knowing a save would make him a hero. Once again diving to his right, he got down low to claw the ball away and put the championship back into our own hands.

Volunteering in a similar fashion to Kye, Sam stepped up to smash the ball past the Wolverhampton keeper and bring with it utter jubilation!

So far in 2015/16 we have competed in seven competitions – winning four and fin- ishing as runners-up in the other three. That record speaks for itself and shows the value of hard work and good old fashioned team work.

I often end these reports by saying I couldn’t be prouder of the lads. One day I might actually mean that. Yet just when I think the lads can’t do any bet- ter, they go and do just that.

I hope the day when I couldn’t be prouder never arrives!

Up The Ton! 2015/2016 Highlights Midlands Challenge Cup

Midland Challenge Cup @ Heartlands Academy Saturday 13th February 2016

Erdington and Saltley 10 – 2 Gloucester

Team: Rob, Sam, Kye, Diago, Rio, Cameron P, Kane, Tion, Pharrelle, Cameron E and Oakley

Goals: Kane x 3, Cameron P x 2, Cameron E x 2, Pharrelle x 3 and Sam

Man of the Match: Kane – what better way to celebrate your 11th Birthday, than by bagging your 37 goal of the season?

On a historic day when the girls and boys played on the same morning, at the same venue for the first time ever, the boys put on a performance of historic magnitude. It was a brilliant performance from start to finish and capped off a fine week, coming only 24 hours after paying off Jersey 2016 in full!

Much like two weeks ago against Sutton Coldfield, the game couldn’t have started any better for us, with Cameron P smashing the ball home one minute into the game. The build up play to our opening goal set our stall out for the remainder of the game, with the boys playing the ball from back to front with pace and invention. Within another few minutes we were two goals up after Cameron P bagged himself a brace. Fully in control of the game, we switched off and conceded a goal from a long free- kick. We should have dealt with it, but instead allowed the ball to bounce through to the Gloucester forward who cooly slotted the ball home to halve the deficit. Game on. However the boys regrouped and scored a third seconds before the ref blew his whistle for the end of the first third.

Now in control of the game, The Ton piled on the pressure during the second third and added to their three goals via Pharrelle, who added to the goal that he scored during the first third, and Cam- eron E. After celebrating his 10th birthday yesterday, the Marsh Hill sharp-shooter christened his new boots by grabbing his 8th u11s goal, to add to the 14 that he has scored for the u10s.

Despite being 5-1 to the good, we demanded more from the boys and asked them to move the ball quicker, rather than unnecessarily holding on to it. We made a number of changes by switching Kane from midfield to up front, Cameron P from the wing into the centre of midfield, Cameron E from up front on to the wing and by bringing Rio back into the fold. These changes seemed to give the lads a boost and resulted in them raising their effort levels. Adding five goals to their tally, the boys capped off a great team performance! Captain Kane grabbed a quick-fire hat-trick, whilst Sam scored for the second consecutive week and Cameron E accurately slotted in a second for himself.

Whilst the boys deserved their ten goals, the Gloucester boys (as ever) deserved a lot of credit. Their attitude was great throughout, their manners were impeccable and they represented their great district with distinction. We look forward to meeting up again in Jersey and hope the Sat Nav got them home safely! 2015/2016 Highlights BPSFA Cup

Friday 6th May 2016 @ Bodymoor Heath, Aston Villa

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Cup Final

Erdington and Saltley 8 – 0 Aston

Team: Robbo, Sam, Kye, Tion, Kane, Ilani, Rio, Cameron P, Troy, Harvey, Samim, Cian T, Taylor, Diago and Pharrelle

Goals: Troy x3, Kane x3, Cameron and Ilani

Man of the Match: Really?!

The year was 2014. After finishing second in the Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA League, The Ton suffered further heartbreak in the final of the Second City Cup, after being pulled apart by a young man from South Birmingham called Tim.

The year was 2015. After finishing second in the Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA League, The Ton suffered further heartbreak in the final of the Second City Cup, after conceding two goals in the final three minutes to lose 2-1 to Kings Norton.

The year was 2016. After finishing second in the Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA League, The Ton suffered…er…actually we won! We only went and won the cup! We only went and did it in style! There were around 150 spectators stretched out pitch-side last night. There will be around 150 peo- ple who will remember that performance for many years to come! It was that good.

I never make a secret of the affinity that I have for Aston. I have been a teacher for nine years and six of those have been spent in Handsworth, which falls in the Aston district. This is why this final meant so much for me personally.

Many of our boys have grown up playing football alongside the Aston boys, such is the close prox- imity of the two districts. This is why this final meant so much for them personally.

Cameron P, Sam, Troy and Kane were part of the crushing blow that was the 2015 final. For 55 minutes of that game we bossed Kings Norton, hitting the bar and having one cleared off the line after taking a 1-0 lead. Then in the blink of an eye we found ourselves behind. It hurt. It hurt more than words can explain.

A year in football is a very long time. The past twelve months have been breathtaking. One piece of history after another. One record after another. With five trophies already in the bag, the boys were determined to lift the one piece of silverware that has eluded this fine district for years. In fact, forev- er! Starting the game like a steam-train, the boys raced into a two-goal lead courtesy of Kane and Troy finishes. The intensity and pace at which they started the final was exactly what we demanded before the game. They couldn’t have started any better.

The lead was doubled before the break when Ilani and Kane added further goals. Yenton Ilani had already tested the keeper from distance on three occa- sions before striking rich with his fourth attempt. Flying past the outstretched arm of Lawrence, Ilani’s left-footed rocket nestled into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

As crazy as it sounds, we knew the lads had another gear to find and we asked them to find it! The second half saw Rio and Cameron creating mayhem down the wings, whilst Ilani grew into the game, commanding the midfield, often single-handedly as Troy and Kane were effectively playing as a front two. At the back, Sam nullified the aerial threat of Aston whilst Kye and Tion contributed hugely to a commanding defensive per- formance. St. Barnabas fullback Kye was breathing down the neck of every Aston player as soon as they dared en- ter his domain, whilst Tion was the epito- me of composure. As for Robbo…he kept a clean sheet in a final. Enough said!

Four more goals were scored, with both Kane and Troy bagging a hat trick each and Cameron grabbing a deserved goal.

Kane’s third goal saw him equal Shilo’s all-time Ton goal scoring record. St. Mat- thew’s finisher Shilo scored 30 goals during the 2013/14 season and a further 44 goals during the 2014/15 campaign. I was fairly confident that his total of 74 goals would never be beaten. Yet again, my lack of footballing knowledge has been ex- posed for all to see! Step forward Mr Taylor. With 24 goals in the bag during the 2014/15 season, the Hodge Hill midfielder has added a further 50 goals this season and there’s still a few more games to go!

It is worth noting that Aston put in a huge shift. They gave everything that they had for their manager Adam. They ran through brick walls for him on that pitch last night. They deserve a huge amount of credit for refusing to let their heads drop. They did Aston proud. As a teacher from Aston – they did me proud. Well done boys! Speaking of feeling proud…At the start of the week I made it clear to all of the lads that I couldn’t guarantee anyone that they would play. Just like last year when Cameron and Sam put that to the back of their mind for the team, our six subs did the same again this year. Di- ago, Harvey, Pharrelle, Samim, Cian and Taylor were not concerned that they might not play; the six of them just wanted to be part of the evening. This is a sign of how special this bunch of lads are. It shows how strong their team spirit is.

As it turned out, all six of them got on the field and all of them had an impact on the game. From Diago popping up on the right wing when he was meant to be playing left back, to Cian almost scoring a screamer from distance. All six lads contributed to the win and left their mark on the game.

The final whistle didn’t initially bring wild cele- brations. Instead it brought warm embrac- es between the two sets of lads and count- less acknowledge- ments of respect. The sight of the Aston boys congratulating the Erd- ington boys, and vice versa, was a beautiful thing!

So our third visit to Bodymoor Heath turned out to be our night.Our special night.

You’ll notice that I haven’t named a man-of-the-match. How could I?!

Well done boys! You are one very special group!

Up The Ton! 2015/2016 Highlights WMCSFA League

Saturday 14th May 2016 @ Heartlands Academy

West Midlands County Schools’ FA League Final

Erdington and Saltley 3 – 1 Sutton Coldfield

Team: Rob, Sam, Kye, Tion, Kane, Ilani, Cameron, Samim, Rio, Diago, Harvey, Tay- lor and Pharrelle

Goals: Rio x 2 and Cameron

Man of the Match: Tion

Four things come to mind as I sit here the morning after the day before and reminisce about another historic day for this special bunch of boys. Four things.

One – The support and unity of all the parents, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, un- cles and of course, Grandad Parker. From the very first whistle, the sound of Tracy shrieking and whooping in encouragement of all of the boys and the booming of Esme rattling her crutches against the fence created a wonderful atmosphere. It may have been loud, but it was always positive and always in the spirit that the game demand- ed. This season we have arguably had the greatest set of supporters that we’ve ever had! Over the past few seasons we have been blessed with some truly wonderful par- ents. Parents who have gone above and beyond. However never have we had as many as we’ve got this year.

With the season drawing to a close, I’m left wondering how we’ll replace the Ton Army of 2015/16!

Two – The unity of the boys. There were four subs yesterday – Diago, Taylor, Harvey and Pharrelle. Four subs who didn’t manage to get on the pitch. Four subs who were not bothered about their own personal gains, but were only concerned by the team’s needs. When it was explained to them that the frantic, tense nature of the final did not lend itself to wholesale changes, they told me not to worry and continued to support the team from the sidelines. This team spirit can’t be faked. It is real. These boys are friends, not just team mates.

With the season drawing to a close, I’m left wondering how we’ll replace the Ton spir- it of 2015/16! Three – the final whistle brought nothing more than a few cheers and some fist pumping. There was a visible respect for the Sutton boys. As a team, we know what it is like to lose a final. It’s not nice. Just like against Aston last week, the boys embraced the opposition respectfully and acknowledged the part that they had played in making this a brilliant spectacle. Even when they had their hands on the trophy, they had to be encouraged to have a little dance and to belt out a rendition of ‘Chamionies’. Their humble and grounded attitude is one of their biggest strengths as a team.

With the season drawing to a close, I’m left wonder- ing how we’ll replace the Ton integrity of 2015/16!

Four- We refused to lie down and roll over. After falling a goal behind, the boys steadied the ship and composed them- selves. With half of the game consigned to the realms of history, the boys would have been forgiven for panicking. After all, we’ve been here before with Sut- ton! However, they simply saw the goal as a signal to step it up a gear. If they con- trolled the first 30 minutes without threatening Sutton where it really hurt, the sec- ond 30 minutes was a totally different affair!

Five minutes after falling behind, the lads drew level through a sensational half- volley from outside the area courtesy of Rio. After watching the ball rebound it’s way around the Sutton area following a dangerous Ton corner, Rio grabbed the bull by the horns and rifled home the sweetest of shots!

Refusing to rest and noticing that Sutton were understandably wobbling, the boys threw everything forward and attacked in numbers. Two minutes after equalising, they had taken the lead. Linking up superbly down the right hand side of the pitch, the ball was swung in hard and low by Kane and prodded home by Cameron for his 21st goal of the season. A stunning number of goals for a winger!

There was more to come, as the lads almost made it three goals in the space of five minutes. Twice they went close before the end of the second third, only for the ref to blow his whistle and give Sutton a chance to regroup.

The final third saw the Sutton lads throw everything at us, only to be met by the im- moveable trio of Sam, Kye and Tion. Shot after shot was blocked. Cross after cross was headed away. Through ball after through ball was intercepted. Player after player was tackled. As a unit they were formidable. Further up the pitch, the midfield of Rio, Samim, Kane and Ilani were working over- time to ensure that our grip on the title remained firm. Every blade of artificial grass was covered as the midfield sought to close down the Sutton boys instantly and re- lease Cameron as early as possible. As a result of the front five’s endeavour and commitment, a third goal came our way with 9 minutes left on the clock. Once again finding himself on the right, Kane chipped a ball to the far post where it was met by the head of Rio. Just like our other winger Cameron, Rio has had a sensa- tional season, with this goal being his 24th of the campaign.

The last nine minutes saw all nine boys defend as a unit and deflect every direct attack that Sutton threw their way.

Job done!

It wouldn’t be fair to not mention the Sutton boys, whose herculean effort was once again evident for all to see. It’s been some battle this season! A battle between two teams very evenly matched. A battle between two teams who are a walking advert for the merits of schools’ football. A battle between two teams that will live long in the memory of all involved with district football in 2015/16. Thank you Mike and the lads. It’s been our pleasure. Well done Sutton!

With the season drawing to a close, I’m left wondering how we’ll replace the Ton never-say-die attitude of 2015/16!

Up The Ton! 2015/2016 Highlights WMCSFA Cup

Saturday 11th June 2016 @ Wednesfield High School

West Midlands County Schools FA Cup Final 2016

Brierley Hill and Dudley 1 – 8 Erdington and Saltley

Team: Rob, Sam, Kye, Tion, Kane, Ilani, Rio, Cameron, Troy, Samim and Taylor

Goals: Kane x 3, Sam x 2, Troy, Cameron and Samim

Man of the Match: Everyone!

I’m writing this from Portsmouth Port, on my way to Guernsey with school, having been deprived sleep for the past 24 hours. Therefore please forgive me if the details are a little sketchy! I’ll give it my best shot…

For the third year in a row The Ton were in town for the final of the West Midlands County Schools FA Cup. After losing to Wolverhampton in 2014, the boys of 2015 shared the cup after drawing with Redditch. However the class of 2016 were deter- mined to go one step better by becoming the first Birmingham district to win the cup since the 1980s when Saltley lifted the title.

The game started brightly for the Brummie boys, as The Ton controlled the opening 15 mins and dominated possession. After taking the lead via captain Kane, the boys continued to knock on the Dudley door only to find the woodwork and keeper in the way. Such is the cruel nature of football that Dudley levelled the game in the 18th mi- nute following their first attack of the game. Rocked by this blow, the boys lost their way a little in the closing stages of the first 25.

Following a few honest words at half time, the boys came to life during the second 25, bagging seven goals for none in reply. A truly breathtaking half of football that Dudley, for all of their efforts, simply couldn’t live with. Our West Midlands rivals worked their socks off but found The Ton in formidable form. It’s hard to recall all of the goals, although there were some stunners, including some great runs and finishes from Samim and Kane. Plus a trademark cool finish from Troy, a long distance screamer from Cameron and a brace of goals for striker wannabe Sam.

Overall the boys couldn’t have given us anymore in that second period. Throw into the mix a commanding defensive performance from Tion, Sam, Kye and later from Ilani and Taylor and you begin to understand how good the boys were. Also let’s not forget Robbo between the sticks. Once again the sum of our parts far exceed- ed the value of us as individuals. In all of the years that I’ve been involved with dis- trict football I have never been so blessed as to work with a group of boys with such a strong spirit and sense of what it is to be a team.

With one more set of games to go, it’s hard to imagine this season ever being bet- tered. Ever. Eight trophies and a load of records. What a team!

Up The Ton! 2015/2016 Highlights ESFA National Finals

Saturday 9th July 2016 @ Carrington Training Complex, Manchester

English Schools’ FA and Premier League National Districts Finals 2016

Team: Rob, Pharrelle, Sam, Kye, Tay- lor, Tion, Kane, Ilani, Rio, Cameron, Samim and Troy

Group Stage:

Erdington and Saltley 0 – 0 Thurrock

Erdington and Saltley 0 – 0 Stevenage

Erdington and Saltley 1 – 0 Sunder- land (Ilani)

Quarter Finals

Erdington and Saltley 0 – 1 Liverpool

After twelve months of unrivalled success on and off the pitch, the boys of 2015/16 travelled to Manchester in monsoon conditions to proudly take their place in the na- tional finals.

At no point during the two hour journey did any of us think this day would go ahead, so harsh was the rain. Yet the boys from The Ton and the other 15 districts, put the water logged pitches and horizontal rain to one side to put on a show of battling, de- termined football, even if the conditions meant it was far from free flowing.

Our three group games were dictated by the rain. Passes often went no further than a few inches, whilst was near impossible. It was clear for all to see that the winning team was more than likely going to be the team that adapted to the terrible conditions. All ambitions to play the attractive football that has come to represent this group of talented young men went out of the window, as the only option was to get the ball off the ground and forward as quickly as possible. Mistakes were aplenty for all teams and matches became a battle of the wills. Proudly watching on, we couldn’t have asked for more from the lads during the first two games. They had the upper hand regularly and met the conditions and the op- ponents head on. Unfortunately the goal just wouldn’t come. With both games end- ing 0-0, we knew we were very much still in the contest.

Squaring up against Sunderland in the final group game, the boys were aware that only a win would do. Showing signs that they’d truly adapted to the conditions, the boys got the ball forward much quicker than during the first two games and were re- warded when Ilani stuck a peach of a shot from outside of the area to give The Ton a one goal lead.

Safely out of the group, it was Liverpool who stood in our way for a place in the last four. The first 7 minutes of the 12 minute contest were very much evenly matched. Both teams were showcasing their talents with confidence. However, with five minutes to go, the Liverpool winger burst down the right before cutting into the box and rifling home low into the bottom corner of the net. That proved to be the only goal of the game and brought the curtain down on our season.

Immediately after the game we told the boys to forget about analysing the game and to forget about worrying about what could have gone better. Now was the time to celebrate rather than mourn. Twelve months ago these boys, plus Oakley, Harvey and Diago, came together to form a team. A fine team. A team that made history and won admirers the length and breadth of the country. A team that we’ll never for- get.

All together now, for one last time….UP THE TON! 2015/2016 Highlights ESFA Jersey Festival Jersey 2016: Day One

Saturday 2nd April 2016

Socks? Check. Pants? Check. Football boots? Check? Toothbrush and toothpaste? Check. Seg- way? What?! Seg what?! Two hours to get through departures. Two long and tiring hours. Mainly because of Rio’s Segway! As I write this blog entry we are now on day four and I still can’t figure out why he wanted to bring one in the first place! However thanks to the very understanding staff at Birmingham International Airport and a dash back to the airport from Rio’s dad, all was sorted. Off we went to Jersey…or New Jersey as Blessing believed…or England as Oakley thought we were still in.

After arriving safe and sound in Jersey we went and explored the island. A fif- teen minute walk later and we found a beach to throw stones and climb rocks.

Soon it was time for dinner back at the Hotel. Confused. Puzzled. Dumb- struck. The boys couldn’t work out the answers to the following questions:

1. Why can’t we use our phones at the dinner table? 2. Why are you being so mean by not letting us use our phones at the dinner table? 3. Why are you violating our human rights by not letting us to use our phones at the dinner table? 4. When can we use our phones at the dinner table? 5. Do we have to eat our dinner at the dinner table? The boys would have you believe that that first meal was like something from a Dickens novel. Alas, they eventually got over such harsh conditions and quickly discovered the art of conversa- tion!

During the evening we (the staff) made our first mistake of the week…we al- lowed them to go into each others room! Bang! Clash! Rattle! The boys went into each other’s room, although they didn’t stay there for long! After constantly running in and out of rooms, the boys eventually got bored and went to bed. Phew!

Up The Ton! Jersey 2016: Day Two

Sunday 3rd April 2016

Sleep. Today was possibly the first time that the boys had come to realise the true value and beauty of sleep. As the whistle signalled the start of our first match, the tired and jet lagged boys found themselves in a whole new world. A world far away from Birmingham Primary Schools football.

The energetic, committed and highly talented Jersey team were too hot for our tired boys to handle (although that is no excuse – they were simply better than us on the day). Shortly into the second half we were 4-0 down and it was the least we de- served. Eventually we woke up but it was too late as the damage had already been done. A consolation goal from Troy SMIDLE James (as the local newspaper report- ed the following day) was not enough to undo the damage from the night before. Ah well. Lesson learned…hopefully!

We picked ourselves up and dusted ourselves down. After a phone free lunch we went to the beach and rediscovered our mojo. Frowns and grunts were exchanged for smiles and laughs as the boys spent four hours frolicking on the golden sands of St. Brelade. It was just what the doctor ordered! We were back in the game! A definite turning put we hoped!

On the evening we went swimming, before playing pool and table tennis. Surely that was enough to tire the boys out and guarantee a good nights sleep on day two? Jersey 2016: Day Three

Monday 4th April 2016

A good night’s sleep in the bag and the boys were back on their A-game. Despite falling one goal down to a quality St. Alban’s A, they bounced back and won 4-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Troy, a fourth from Cameron P and some quality defending from the boys at the back. Today was also the day when our team spirit returned to it’s previously brilliant levels. With Robbo feeling sick, Pharrelle volunteered to play between the sticks and despite giving me a heart-attack as he drib- bled out of his box, beat two players and darted for the half way line, he managed to do Robbo proud, conceding only the one goal.

Back at the hotel the boys were greeted by a few copies of the local Rag – The Jersey Gazette. They’d made the back page! Ohhhh…now they knew the feeling of bad press! Two pages were dedicated to their efforts the previous day against the national team. Two pages highlighting the fact that they’d lost 4-1. Two pages of crystal clear photos to prove it too! Then to rub salt in the wound, the reporter spelt Troy’s name wrong and in doing so, deprived him of his moment of glo- ry!

As the sun was shining once again we decided to hit the beach. Cricket and paddling entertained most of the boys, whilst a couple of them took a shine to teasing Lamar. For Troy, Kane, Phar- relle, myself and Tonn, we decided to build a castle. I say castle, but I don’t mean a sand castle. I mean a castle. It was like something from the Channel Four show, Grand Designs. I’ve since learned that the local estate agent has been showing prospective families around it. It was a thing of beauty!

Before we knew it it was 6:30pm and we needed to get back home for dinner. Phone-free dinner too! By the time was had polished off our pudding (and Blessing had finished his 12th bottle of ketchup) it was almost bed time.

Lesson two…don’t give the lads Coke, sweets and junk before sending them to bed. Big mistake! Ah well, you live and learn.

Three days in and we still had 15 players. We had learned how to talk to people and had learned how to tidy our rooms by shoving every single item that we owned into the cupboard. Life skills.

Up The Ton! Jersey 2016: Day Four

Tuesday 5th April 2016

Confidence was high following the 4-1 win over St. Alban’s. So high in fact that we forgot to turn up this morning. These things happen! Luckily our inability to pass the ball and shoot didn’t stop us from winning as we did remember how to dive in front of fast-moving balls, throw our body on the line and how to score deflected shots! If all else fails, a good old last-minute deflected shot will always do the trick. Some people would have you believe that the good old-fashioned last- minute deflected shot is not in vogue these days, but they would be wrong.

Another win in the bag and it was on to Creepy Valley where we climbed high into the trees, jumped from platform to platform and fell from great heights in spectacular style! Think Superman with concussion. Great fun! Brilliant!

This was one of the best moments of the week for me as it was great to see the lads push themselves out of their comfort zones. Nervous and weary of the great heights, a number of the lads were far from excited by the thought of putting their life in the hands of the tree gods. However despite trembling with fear, they puffed out their chest and conquered their fear, even if it was with closed eyes!

The night was topped off with a quiz. The night was topped off with the realisation that no matter how good our boys are at football, their geographical skills leave something to be desired! Examples in- clude:

Question: What is the capital city of Spain?

Child One: Real Madrid.

Child Two: No that’s wrong! What about Athletico?!

Question: Name the Scottish Loch where a mythical creature is said to live.

Child One: Loch Ness River.

Dear. Oh Dear. Oh Deary me.

The biggest shock of the day? Pharrelle, Rio and Diago won the quiz. Then again, I suppose they did put a man on the moon.

Up The Ton! Jersey 2016: Day Five

Wednesday 6th April 2016

Late kick-offs and an old black and white kit clearly suit our boys, because just like Monday when we had both of these things, the boys put on a show today and picked up a great 6-0 win against St. Paul’s. A stunning show of passing football (the polar opposite of yesterday) saw Tion and Rio grab a brace each, whilst Troy and Kane bagged a goal apiece too. It was arguably the best we have played all week!

Today’s afternoon activity saw the boys venture to Aqua Splash where Blessing and Pharrelle caught the attention of some local girls. Such is the life of a pair of inter- national footballing superstars.

After three long hours and with my eyes feeling like I had poured vinegar in them, we headed back to the hotel to eat dinner (still no sign of the phones) and shoot some pool. Despite playing pool since the start of the week, I’m afraid to say that none of the boys will be challenging Ronnie O’Sullivan for any titles in the near (or far) future just yet!

Oh and have I mentioned room inspections? Well the trio of Rio, Pharrelle and Oakley have devised an ingenious way of tidying their room. It involves piling every last item, including the kitchen sink, into a cupboard and forcing it closed, before wedging the sideboard up against it to prevent it from spilling open. In fact, since discovering their cunning plan yesterday we haven’t actually seen Pharrelle. Alt- hough I’m sure I heard a distant cry coming from the wardrobe of room 411…I bet- ter go and inspect.

Up The Ton! Jersey 2016: Day Six

Thursday 7th April 2016

Just like the very best teams, we’ve got better and better as the week has gone on. Today’s game against Plymouth was something to admire and be proud of, particu- larly the first half.

It is worth remembering that we are little old Erdington and Saltley. Birmingham does not have a district football team. We are but one 7th of the second city. Yet we are able to match and beat districts the size of Plymouth. For me that is something to be incredibly proud of!

After racing into a three goal lead during the first half, we added a fourth shortly af- ter the start of the second half. Now in a commanding position, we took our foot off the gas and conceded two sloppy goals. Fair play to Plymouth, as they refused to give up. However the first thing that the boys did following the final whistle was to question their own second half performance. They were happy with the win but not with the scoreline. We said nothing to them to stimulate this discussion and it was one of those moments where you just sit back and enjoy. The boys, who at the start of the week lacked focus, were now deconstruct- ing their own performance and de- manding more. Brilliant!

Later that day we went bowling and my word was this another eye- opening moment! Some of the lads mistakenly believed that the aim of the game was to throw the ball down the gutter, whilst others clearly thought bowling was like golf – the lower the score the better. Alas, fol- lowing a short break to raise the bar- riers, the game continued and Bless- ing and Diago smashed the field!

One day to go…

Up The Ton! Jersey 2016: Day Seven

Friday 8th April 2016

The final match day had arrived. After playing some stunning football throughout the week, we were determined to end on a high against our good friends from Gloucester.

Over the past few years we have played many great games against Gloucester B, but today was our first encounter with Gloucester A. After ending the group stage unbeaten, we knew our oppo- nents were going to be a tough nut to crack.

The first half saw us have the majority of the ball and deservedly take a three goal lead. Despite failing to add a fourth during the second half, we dominated play and passed the ball around in a way that I’ve never seen the boys do before. Their play was so mature and intelligent that the lack of further goals was not an issue.

More importantly the boys, along with the Gloucester boys, played the game with a great sporting attitude and it was a superb advert for Jersey 2016 and district football in general. We can’t wait for our away trip to Gloucester in two weeks!

After stuffing their faces with pizza and ice-cream at Pizza Hut, the boys wanted to spend the af- ternoon doing something that they’ve become fairly decent at…playing football! St. Brelade’s beach was the venue and a mammoth two hour game capped off a stunning week.

Lesson four…shirts and ties are needed for the end of week dinner!

Up The Ton! 2015/2016 Highlights Away from the pitch

s a reward for their hard work and amazing achievements, Mark, Robin, Chameli and A the rest of the Lamborghini family rolled the red carpet out when they invited all of the lads into the showroom!

he boys packed bags at Tesco, Hodge Hill in order to T raise money for Jersey. They raised over £500!

n November the lads helped raise £1000 towards the Jersey fund by scoring penalties t the start of the season, Scot had the past their mums and dads! boys in the gym, hitting the pads and I A working up a sweat! 2015/2016 Highlights A Spot of Appreciation

Throughout the season we have received a lot of help and support from a lot of people. Without this support, the team would not have reached the heights that it did this year. As a small sign of our appreciation, we would like to thank the following: The Grimmit Trust William A. Cadbury Trust M.D. Nutrition Beauty Within Billy Hynan and Emma Goodman Mr Adcock (Tonn’s Dad) Tonn’s Dad’s mate Neville Gunter Primary School Tesco, Hodge Hill The Yenton Primary School Colebourne Primary School Everyone who supported the sponsored penalty shootout The boys from Jaguar Land Rover Aston Villa Football Club Birmingham City Football Club All of the teachers who nominated players and supported the trials Wolverhampton Wanders Football Club Lamborghini Birmingham The Tyburn Mail Jack Dromey MP , Ian Taylor, , Darren Byfield, Darius Vassell and other former players who helped raise our profile on Twitter The Ton Army for organising presentation afternoons, pestering businesses for sponsorship and donations, riding bikes around Erdington delivering leaflets, making sandwiches, buying tickets for shoddy raffles, standing in goal whilst their sons kicked footballs at them, always supporting our decisions, putting the boys through their paces in the gym, for selling programmes and cups of tea on cold mornings, for flying to Jersey, for making videos of the boys’ achievements ….for being brilliant! The Ton players for giving their all, each and every week come rain or shine. For being a pleasure to work with and for putting Erdington and Saltley on the national map. For everyone that I’ve forgotten, as there’s bound to be a few. I’m so sorry if I’ve missed you off the list but we truly couldn’t be any more grateful. Thank you everyone for your support! Up The Ton! 2015/2016 Highlights Time to Reflect

Twelve months, countless memories, many laughs, lots of admirers, loads of moments to be proud of and a year that no one will ever be able to take away from us. Twelve months ago we knew we had a set of boys who were special. However even we couldn’t predict just how special they would turn out to be! In the eight years that I have been involved in district football, I’ve never been this lucky. I’ve never had a set of lads who’ve been so easy to work with. A group of selfless young men who know the importance of respect and hard work. Without wanting to inflate their egos, they’ve been a complete joy to work with and will be sorely missed. Although fortunately for us, we have another amazing batch to work with this year. There must be something in the water in Erdington and Saltley! Together, and I include you the Ton Army in that, we have reached heights never before seen by this great district. We have earned respect the length and breadth of the country, both on and off the pitch. Twelve months ago, most school associations outside of the West Midlands didn’t have had a clue where to find Erdington and Saltley on a map. Now they get flashbacks every time they close their eyes to the time we met. Now they wake up in a cold sweat when they recall the ball hitting the back of the net following another sensational Ton move. Now they know where to find us on a map! As some of the boys head off to secondary school, we all wish them the very best. If they apply themselves in their studies the same way that they applied themselves on the pitch this season, the sky will be the limit! The boys who head off to big school have been excellent role models for the next generation of Ton ballers. That is their greatest achievement. Far greater than any trophy! As for the parents - you’ve been amazing! The best group of supporters that we have ever had. It’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye, although you know where to find us if you’re ever bored on a Saturday morning! Finally, I know how borderline obsessed I am with this district. However I would be lost without Tonn and Lamar. I couldn’t do any of this without them. Lamar for the mature manner in which he interacts with the children and Tonn for his ability to forget any child’s name 7 seconds after being introduced to them! Although in all seriousness, they give up so much of their time and energy for free that there would be no district without them. Thank you guys and roll on 2016/17! I suppose there is only one thing left to say; altogether now...UP THE TON!

2015/2016 Highlights Statistics

Under 11s Player Statistics 2015/16

Player School Games Goals/Clean MOM Sheets

Kane Hodge Hill 27 65 11

Sam Marsh Hill 35 7 7

Kye St. Barnabas 34 4 6

Ilani Yenton 20 6 3

Diago Featherstone 24 * 3

Harvey Heathlands 19 1 2

Oakley Marsh Hill 20 5 1

Samim Birches Green 19 19 4

Tion Yenton 34 6 6

Rio Birches Green 34 25 8

Cameron Gunter 32 28 6

Blessing Court Farm 11 2 1

Pharelle Abbey 20 9 goals and 5 2 clean sheets

Taylor Coleborne 25 3 4

Troy Marsh Hill 23 43 7

Cameron Marsh Hill 14 9 1

Rob (GK) Gunter 28 10 5

Cian T St. Mary and St. John 3 * 1 2015/2016 Highlights Statistics

Under 10s Player Statistics 2015/16

Player School Games Goals/Clean MOM Sheets

Brad (GK) Oval 5 2 *

Gerard (GK) Abbey 15 7 *

Taylor Colborne 15 2 2

Ilani Yenton 12 16 4

Bradley Brookvale 6 1 1

Eddie Paget 7 4 *

William Abbey 16 10 1

Kian Gunter 15 3 2

Reece St. Mary and St. John 8 1 *

Tiarno St. Clement’s 9 4 *

Cameron Marsh Hill 16 18 2

Resharne Brookvale 9 8 2

Danny Gunter 9 1 *

Blessing Court Farm 14 13 *

Carter St. Wilfred’s 3 * *

Che Featherstone 12 6 *

Bobby Broadmeadow 2 * *

Aidan Abbey 2 * 2 2015/2016 Highlights Results

Date Opposition Venue Competition Score

29/08/2015 North Somerset Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup D 0-0

29/08/2015 Everton Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup L 1-0

29/08/2015 Rayo Vallecano Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup L 1-0

29/08/2015 B93 (Denmark) Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup D 0-0

29/08/2015 Chelsea Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup L 4-0

30/08/2015 North Somerset Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup D 0-0

30/08/2015 B93 (Denmark) Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup D 0-0

30/08/2015 Mashuggets BK Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup W 5-1 (Sweden)

30/08/2015 FC Vilnius Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup W 4-0 (Lithuania)

30/08/2015 Bath Odd Down, Bath Bath International Cup W 2-0 WINNERS

19/09/2015 B’ham Districts Heartlands Acade- BPSFA 7-a-side Cham- WINNERS my pionship

26/09/2015 Harborne Away BPSFA Autumn League W 9 - 0

03/10/2015 East Heartlands Acade- BPSFA Autumn League W 3 - 0 my

10/10/2015 Aston Away BPSFA Autumn League W 6 - 0

17/10/2015 * * * *

30/10/2015 The Ton vs. Leeds Wolves FC Training Representative Match W 2-1 Ground, 3pm 07/11/2015 West Mid- Wednesfield High School West Midlands Schools RUNNERS- lands Districts FA 7 a side UP

14/11/2015 Solihull Heartlands Academy Representative Match W 2 – 0

21/11/2015 Sutton Cold- Heartlands Academy BPSFA Autumn League D 1 - 1 field

12/12/2015 Sutton Cold- Wolverhampton Wan- BPSFA Winter Cup Final L 3-2 field ders FC

19/12/2015 B’ham Dis- Futsal Arena BPSFA Futsal Champion- WON tricts ship

09/01/2016 Wolverhamp- Heartlands Daniel Sturridge Cup 7-a W 6-1 ton -side

Aston Heartlands Daniel Sturridge Cup 7-a W 5-0 -side

16/01/2016 Sutton Cold- Heartlands Daniel Sturridge Cup 7-a W 1-0 field -side

East Birming- Heartlands Daniel Sturridge Cup 7-a W 7-0 ham -side

23/01/2016 Harborne Heartlands Daniel Sturridge Cup 7-a W 8-0 -side

Sutton Cold- Heartlands Danial Sturridge Final L 2-1 field

30/01/2016 Sutton Cold- Heartlands West Midlands Schools D 1-1 field FA Division One

06/02/2016 Bath Heartlands Representative Match W 6-3

13/02/2016 Gloucester Heartlands Midlands Challenge Tro- W 10-2 phy

27/02/2016 Solihull Heartlands West Midlands Schools W 7 – 2 FA Division One

05/03/2016 Brierley Hill Away West Midlands Schools W 6-1 and Dudley FA Division One 19/03/2016 Various Wolverhampton Wander- Premier League Tourna- Winners ers ment

26/03/2016 Wolverhampton Wednesfield High School West Midlands Schools FA W 1-0 Division One

03/04/2016 Jersey FB Fields, Jersey ESFA Jersey U11s Festival L 4 – 1

04/04/2016 St. Alban’s A FB Fields, Jersey ESFA Jersey U11s Festival W 4 – 1

05/04/2016 Thurrock FB Fields, Jersey ESFA Jersey U11s Festival W 1 – 0

06/04/2016 St. Paul’s U12s FB Fields, Jersey ESFA Jersey U11s Festival W 6 – 0

07/04/2016 Plymouth FB Fields, Jersey ESFA Jersey U11s Festival W 4 – 2

08/04/2016 Gloucester A FB Fields, Jersey ESFA Jersey U11s Festival W 3 – 0

23/04/2016 Gloucester Gloucester Midland Challenge Cup L 1-0 (W 10-2 on aggregate)

30/04/2016 All Birmingham Veseyans Rugby Club BPSFA Knock-out stage W 4-0 Districts W 2 - 1 W2 – 1

06/05/2016 Aston Bodymoor Heath BPSFA Cup Final W 8-0

14/05/2016 Sutton Coldfield Heartlands WMCSFA League Final W 3-1

01/06/2016 Derby County FC Moor Farm Friendly L 3-2

7/6/2016 Sutton Coldfield Heartlands Academy WMCSFA Cup Semi-final W 8-3

11/06/2016 Dudley and Bri- Wednesfield High School WMCSFA Cup Final W 8-1 erley Hill

23/6/2016 Bromford Lions Yardley and District RFU Representative Match W 13-0 Under 12s

9/07/2016 Various Carrington, Manchester National -9 a-side final 4th Over all Quarter Finals D 0-0 with Thurrock and Stevanage W 1-0 Sunder- land L 1-0 Liver- pool