Ribblesdale Team Victorious in National Cup Schools’ Competition
The ultimate prize in school football has been claimed by the unstoppable Year 7 Under 12s team from Ribblesdale School, Clitheroe.
The English Schools' National Cup is the most prestigious school football competition in England, run by the English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) as part of a wider set of national competitions organised to promote and develop football in schools across England.
Teams from around the country have competed in the knock-out style tournament throughout the regional rounds, culminating in the national finals held last Monday at The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion FC.
Team manager, Mr Liam Lishman said: “It’s impossible to quantify how brilliant an achievement this really is. We have competed against more than 500 schools across nine intense rounds and this exciting journey has not only showcased our team's remarkable talent but has also led to nine of our players being invited to join the district team.”
With the final marking the 10th round of this gruelling competition, the team travelled to West Bromwich to experience their first taste of playing in a professional football stadium.
Supported by a crowd of more than 120 fellow pupils and staff, who cheered on the team to a 4-0 victory against Watford side The Haberdashers, goals came from Reiss (2), George and Oakley.
Mr Lishman continued: “It was an unbelievable, well-fought match and amazing for the team to experience playing at this level in a professional stadium with top-tier facilities. It’s a day they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.We are beyond proud of how they’ve played and represented themselves and our school throughout the competition, which started in September. The last round saw us crowned North of England Champions and they have finished all this off with this amazing result in the grand final to bring the cup home to Clitheroe.”
Thank you to the following local companies for your support!
- Daniel at the Cardboard Box Company in Clayton for sponsoring the full kit for the season.
- Kierran at North-West Engine Services Ltd and Katie at Luxury Escapes in Whalley for sponsoring the tracksuit.