History 2007-Present
History Continued
In 2007 Mike Duffy followed Roy Blacktop in the 40 years’ service award list from ESFA. His service in schools' football included manager of sides at Sts John Fisher & Thomas More School Colne, St Theodore’s Burnley and St Mary’s College Blackpool, as well as five years in Canadian schools. Managership of teams included Burnley SFA, Blackpool & District SFA Under 14s and Under 15s and the Lancashire U19s. Other positions included Secretary of Blackpool & District SFA, Chairmanship of the Northern Counties SFA, representation on Council since 1985, with 22 years’ service as Secretary, three terms as Chairman and 22 years as LSFA delegate to the LFA as well as being secretyary of the Lancashire Schools' Sports Federation.
The RAF fixture was won 3-0 by Lancashire at BAe Canberra.
Andy Clitheroe (South Ribble) joined the U16s management team
Paul Jarvis of Ripley St Thomas School won recognition in the England Schoolboys Under 18 team.
Reorganisation of schools in Burnley meant the disappearance of a number of famous names. However, St Theodore’s, now playing under the amalgamated name of Blessed Trinity, ensured that a new tradition was established, as they won the Under 14s and the Under 15s Competitions.
St Helens from Merseyside played in and won the Under 11s Cup for the first time. St Helens will join Blackburn in the League and Cup programmes for 2007-08, a sign of a resurgence in the primary sector.
2007 saw the introduction of the LSFA website. Andy Buckingham, Mike Duffy and Mike Timberlake worked with Chris Stringer, the technical expert, a year 10 student at QEGS Blackburn, to design the site, intended to cover all aspects of the association's work, as well as providing immediate updates of all competitions.
Derek Yarwood (Blackpool & District) joined the U16s management team.Neil Addison (Preston) joined the U19 management team. This meant that both county sides had a managment team of three with obvious benefits.
The 2007-8 winners of the Northern Counties SFA Trophy was Lancashire with a 3-1 win over Northumberland in the final at Blyth Spartans. The team also reached the ESFA Premier League quarter finals, losing 2-0 to eventual finalists Leicestershire SFA at Holmes Park, Leicester. The winners were Dorset on penalties after a 2-2 deadlock after extra time.
The RAF exacted revenge for last year's defeat with a 5-0 win at Cosford. This fixture remains a valued addition to the Under 18 programme.
The first year of the website proved successful. It became a vital part of improved communications and publicity for LSFA. A full list of all players representing Lancashire Schools' FA at the various age levels from 1920 to present day was added to the website.
M. Duffy and A. Buckingham attended the England v Scotland Victory Shield match at the new Wembley Stadium in May 2008 - a 2-0 win for England, the ESFA returning to Wembley for the first time since the recbuilding programme.
Two friends of Lancashire SFA were lost in this decade - Pete Charles of Greater Manchester SFA (a former Chairman of the Northern Counties SFA and Secretary of his own association for many years) and John Wilkinson, a tremendous servant of schools' football in his native Sheffield and South Yorkshire, as well as a former Chairman and Treasurer of the Northern Counties and ESFA auditor. Ironically John died the day after being made a Life Member of ESFA at the 2008 AGM in Stafford.
Later in the season the untimely deaths of Fred Bentley (Mount Carmel RCHS, Hyndburn & Ribble Valley SFA and a former copunty assistant manager) and Ian Harrison ( a non-teacher who ran sides for Blackburn with Darwen SFA and our liaison for the printing of the Handbook) were recorded.
In 2009 the county sides had deserved success after slightly hesitant starts. The U16s side reached the Northern Counties final with another 3-1 victory over Northumberland on the 3G pitch at Newcastle Racecourse, Gosforth. On the same day at Stanley Park, Blackpool, the U18s recorded a semi-final 2-1 victory over Durham. In the respective finals both Lancashire teams met by then the ESFA National Champions, at under 16 Greater Manchester and at under 18s Northumberland. The latter, 4-0 winners in the national final proved too strong for Lancashire with a 5-0 victory. However, the under 16s having already drawn with Greater Manchester in the league programme recorded an excellent 2-1 win at Morecambe FC to retain the Daily Express Cup. The win was all the more commendable since Ben Woodhead the goalkeeper had to leave the field with a serious knee injury in the first half to be replaced by outfield player. The winning goal in extra time from Josh Few (Blackpool & District) was an outstanding strike, a cup-winning goal of genuine merit. Greater Manchester had defeated Essex in the ESFA national final at Millwall. Lancashire had gone out to the West Midlands in the quarter finals 2-4 on penalties after a 2-2 deadlock after extra time at Burscough FC. The West Midlands were beaten 1-0 by Greater Manchester, the scorlines of these matches indicating just how close Lancashire were to national success.
The 2010-11 season saw three County teams taking part in Northern Counties and ESFA Competitions. The U18s boys became national champions beating Hertfordshire 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 deadlock at the end of extra time at Hillsborough where World Cup referee Howard Webb officiated. A 0-1 defeat in the Northern Counties final against North Yorkshire was a slight diappointment, as we agreed to play on a Saturday at noon without key players. North Yorkshire's refusal of a midweek venue at Turf Moor became Northumberland's gain in two senses in the u16s final - a superb night of hospitality from Burnley FC and a 5-4 win on penalties after a 2-2 extra time draw with Lancashire who had reached the ESFA semi-finals against Humberside, the eventual winners.
The girls u16s had a great first season with Mike Nadal putting together an excellent squad of girls. Two defeats against the very strong Durham side defined the season, a 1-3 defeat in the ESFA Trophy and a 1-2 defeat in extra time in the Northern Counties final at Squires Gate.
This was a fine year for International recognition for Lancashire players - Alex Meaney at u18 level, Olivia Millington and Helen Seed representing England in the first ever u15 Girls' International against Scotland in Glasgow wmhere a 3-1 victory was gained.
A newly designed website from Plantpot Websites, supported by ESFA grants, proved effective and improved communications across the county.
In 2011-12 the County Representative sides became four as an u14 Girls' team took part in competition. Success eluded the u16s boys with a defeat in the ESFA Cup 1-2 against Merseyside and a Northern Countiessemi-final defeat 0-2 away at Northumberland. Losing several key players, the 18s boys' side struggled in the Northern Counties, but enjoyed two wins in the ESFA Trophy against Derbyshire (5-1) and Worcestershire (8-1) before losing in the quarter finals to Merseyside (2-4).
The performances of the girls' sides were the highlights of the season. The u16s beat Durham 3-1 in the Northern Counties Final, drew 3-3 against Hampshire in the ESFA Final at Barnet FC only to lose in the penalty shoot-out.
The under 14s girls in their first season reached the ESFA Final only to lose narrowly 1-2 to Essex at Norwich City FC.
THe 2012-13 season began with two victories against Cumbria at the UCLan Arena in Preston. The u16 recorded a 6-1 victory whilst an u18 side selected solely from the schools with sixth forms enabled 22 players to take part in this first trial for county selection before the college players are invited to trial games. A 4-2 win indicated the depoth of talent in the schools at this level. Stewart Clitheroe (Preston College), assisted by Alastair Mollon, took over the U18s management after Dave Spence's thirteen year reign.
Roll of Honour 2001-2010
Under 11s League
2001 Morecambe 2002 Morecambe
2003 Morecambe 2004 Darwen
2005 Preston 2006 Preston
2007 Blackpool 2008 Preston
2009 Preston 2010
Luther Mercer Cup
2001 Morecambe 2002 Skelmersdale
2003 Morecambe 2004 Morecambe/Skelmersdale
2005 Skelmersdale 2006 Blackpool
2007 St Helens 2008 Preston
2009 Preston 2010
West Lancashire Shield
2001 Morecambe 2002 Morecambe
2003 Morecambe 2004 Darwen
2005 Skelmersdale 2006 Preston
2007 Darwen 2008 Blackburn
2009 Preston 2010
Lancashire Cup
2001 Blackpool 2002 Preston
2003 Blackpool 2004 Blackburn & Darwen
2005 Blackpool 2006 Blackburn & Darwen
2007 Hyndburn & Ribble Valley 2008 Blackpool
2009 Burnley 2010
The Timberlake Trophy (U15s Association League)
2002 Preston 2003 Blackburn & Darwen
2004 Blackpool 2005 Blackpool
2006 Burnley 2007 Blackpool
2008 Preston 2009 West lancashire
Wrennall Cup
2001 Hyndburn 2002 Blackpool
2003 Blackpool 2004 Blackburn & Darwen
2005 Blackpool 2006 Blackpool
2007 Blackpool 2008 Blackburn with Darwen
2009 Preston
Under 12s 7-a-side
2001 St Bede’s Blackburn 2002 Bishop Rawstorne
2003 St Theodore’s 2004 Our Lady’s Preston
2005 Southlands 2006 Ivy Bank
2007 Broughton 2008 St Bede's Blackburn
2009 St Wilfrid's Blackburn 2010
Under 13s
2001 Mount Carmel 2002 St Bede’s Blackburn
2003 St Bede’s Blackburn 2004 St Theodore’s
2005 Our Lady’s Preston 2006 Carr Hill
2007 Our Lady’s Skelmersdale 2008 Ormskirk School
2009 Unity Coillege Burnley 2010
Under 14s
2001 St Bede’s Blackburn 2002 Mount Carmel
2003 Ripley St Thomas 2004 Our Lady’s Lancaster
2005 Baines 2006 Montgomery
2007 Blessed Trinity 2008 Darwen Vale
2009 Broughton B&E C 2010
Under 15s
2001 St Bede’s Blackburn 2002 Beacon Hill
2003 Lostock Hall 2004 Our Lady’s Skelmersdale
2005 Queen Elizabeth’s 2006 St Theodore’s
2007 Blessed Trinity 2008 Blessed Trinity
2009 Lostock Hall 2010
Under 16s
2001 Mount Carmel 2002 Beacon Hill
2003 Mount Carmel 2004 Montgomery
2005 Broughton 2006 Our Lady’s Skelmersdale
2007 Leyland St Mary’s 2008 Balshaws
2009 Fulwood 2010
Under 19s
2001 Preston College 2002 Preston College
2003 Newman College
from 2004 two separate competitions were introduced for U19 schools and colleges.
Under 19s Schools
2004 Bacup & Rawtenstall GS 2005 Haslingden GS
2006 Bacup & Rawtenstall GS 2007 Clitheroe RGS/Lytham St Annes
2008 Bacup & Rawtenstall GS 2009 Clitheroe RGS
2011
Under 19s Colleges
2004 Lancaster & Morecambe 2005 Lancaster & Morecambe
2006 Newman College 2007 Myerscough
2008 Blackburn 2009 Myerscough
2010
Details of all competitions, county players and general information can be found in the Reports Section which currently covers the years 2009-10 to 2017-18.
Increasing problems with the larger colleges establsihing 'academy' status with links to football clubs in the lower divisions and the growth of the English Colleges Association which provided fixtures across several counties meant that a Lancashire Colleges competition for six or seven colleges bacame unviable. The Under 19s Colleges LSFA competition was abandoned in 2012, though the Schools Competition at this level continued to thrive.
M. Duffy
June 2009
This article first appeared in 2004 in the book "The Lancashire Football Association: A Celebration of 125 Years 1878-2003" published in to celebrate the association's 125th anniversary. It is updated on a regular basis. If anone reading the history comes across any errors, omissions, added information, M. Duffy will be pleased to adjust the records. Contact via e-mail at mickduffy99@hotmail.com.
For those interested in the development of schools' football the highly informative "A History of the English Schools' Football Association 1904-2004" by Colm Kerrigan is available by post from the ESFA at 4 Parker Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Beaconside, Stafford ST18 0WP.
The History of Schoolboy Football in Blackburn 1897-1997 by Rick Grogan is another entertaining book, written to celebrate the district association's centennial year.
Two volumes covering the history of football in Lancashire are:
History of the Lancashire Football Association 1878-1928
The Lancashire Football Association 1878-2003
If anyone has any interesting materials or information concerning the development of schools' football in Lancashire, M. Duffy will be delighted to add to the history. All materials will be returned safely.
A book is planned to be completed in time for the Centenary of the Association in 2019. It will cover football in Lancashire from the earliest times of folk football, through the public schools' influence, the organisation of cclub football and the way in which schools' football became an integral part of the development of the game.