LSFA Report 2017-18 Page 2
The LSFA County Cup Finals and District Finals
Three County Cup Finals and three District Finals were played at the LFA County Ground at Leyland during a week-end in May. Three County Cup Finals were played at Darwen Football Club, one County Cup Final was played at the Barnfield Training Centre, Burnley F.C. and the Under 11 Luther Mercer Final was again played at Brinscall Village Junior Football Club. The Under 12 seven a side Finals (boys and girls) were again played at St.Bede’s High School Blackburn. The Under 12 five a side Finals (boys and girls) were played at the Blackburn Power League. The Under 11 District Finals and the Under 11 Schools’ Finals were played at the JMO, Skelmersdale. There were many excellent cup finals and we are very grateful to all clubs, organisations and schools for allowing us to stage our finals at excellent venues.
Discipline
LSFA has opted in to the ESFA centrally managed discipline season. All discipline reports in Lancashire should now be sent to ESFA and dealt with accordingly by them. It is essential that all schools and districts continue to be aware of this new procedure for the coming
season. At county level there were very few problems of discipline with very few yellow cards being awarded to county players.
Finance and the Future of ESFA, NCSFA and LSFA.
During the past season, LSFA are very grateful to the grants from ESFA and NCSFA which help to cover the cost of travel to away games and which also help to pay for grounds, officials and refreshments for our home games. However, with the withdrawal of grants from ESFA for the opening rounds of the ESFA Trophy Competitions and the withdrawal of the grant from ESFA to NCSFA, the future looks bleak.
The Highlights of Season 2017-2018
- The incredible achievements by our two county girls’ teams who won every game they played during the season to achieve the double double i.e. both teams won both the ESFA Trophy and the NCSFA Championship.
- The SEVENTH consecutive ESFA Trophy Final appearance by our Under 14 Girls, this time at the Bet 365 Stadium, the home of Stoke City F.C.
- The FOURTH appearance in the ESFA Trophy Final by our Under 16 Gilrs and their second victory in the last four years.
- The excellent victory by our Under 14 Girls against Durham to win the inaugural NCSFA Under 14 Girls’ Championship.
- The excellent victory by our Under 16 Girls against Northumberland to win the NCSFA Championship.
- The excellent achievement of our Under 14 Boys in reaching the final of the inaugural NCSFA Championship.
- The excellent achievement of our Under 16 Boys in reaching the final of the NCSFAS Championship.
- The vastly improved performances of our Under 18 Boys which enabled them to reach the two semi-finals of the ESFA Trophy and the NCSFA Championship.
- The great commitment and expertise of our six county management teams, already highlighted in the report.
10. The chance for three of our county teams to play at the LFA County Ground, Leyland
11. Continued good liaison with most of our professional clubs.
12. The tremendous work of Andy Clitheroe in organising the Under 16 Trial Days held at Fulwood Amateurs F.C. in July.
13. The tremendous work of Neil Black as Course Director of our Coaching Courses for the Under 14 Boys held at QEGS in August .
14. Continued high levels of entry for our county cup competitions and the increased number of entries in the girls’ competitions.
15. The two highly successful Finals’ Days held in May at the LFA County Ground, Leyland
16. The two new competitions for Under 13 and Under 12 District Teams.
The Lowlights of Season 2017-2018
- The low number of entries for the Lancashire and Wrennall Cups. From our eleven districts, only four took part in the Under 15 Lancashire Cup and in the Under 14 Wrennall Cup.
- The low number of league games played in the Under 15 and Under 14 District Leagues.
In both leagues only 50% of the games were played i.e. 3 league games from a possible total of 6 games in each competition.
- The low number of league games played in the new Under 13 District Team League despite five districts entering the competition. Only 20% of the games were played i.e. 2 league games from a possible total of 10 league games.
- The lack of progress in some competitions with some schools apparently unable to arrange their fixtures or keep to the deadline dates.
- The suspicion that not all schools are complying with the Competition Rules.
Acknowledgements
The final section of this report is to thank the many individuals, clubs, companies and associations who have helped Lancashire Schools’ F.A. deliver its programme during season 2017-2018. The perennial hope is that no-one has been omitted:
- Mike Nadal for his absolutely tremendous work with girls’ football in Lancashire, highlighted elsewhere in this report, during the past eight years.
- Andy Buckingham for his work and support as Chairman and Treasurer of LSFA.
- Roy Blacktop for all his work and advice as Senior Council Member of LSFA
- Mike Duffy for his expertise and advice as Senior Advisor of LSFA
- Peter Seed for his invaluable assistance as the Chairman of Girls’ Football.
- The English Schools’ F.A.: Darren Alcock, Dave Ebberson, Sue Gifford, Lorna Blakeman, Dawn Howard, Sarah Kearney, Ed Mitchell and Andy Weston for their help and guidance throughout the season.
- The Northern Counties Schools’ F.A., especially Peter Tracey and Chris Newman
- County Secretaries in the Northern Counties’ Association and across the country for their assistance in organising games often under difficult circumstances.
- The Lancashire FA and its officers, particularly Nick Birchall, Jack Gardner, David Chell, Mike Nadal and Andrew Whitaker, for allowing us to use the LFA for our meetings and the County Ground for county matches and cup finals.
10. Our physiotherapists for their invaluable support given to the LSFA Management Teams.
11. Cliff Olssen at UCLAN for helping to provide physios for our county matches
12. Jack Gardner at the LFA, Dave Hesketh of Preston Referees’ Society, Noel McEvoy of Pendle Referees’ Society and Jez Simpson of Lancaster Referees’ Society for appointing match officials to our county matches and cup finals.
13. Brinscall Village J.F.C., Darwen F.C., Barnoldswick Town F.C. and Wren Rovers F.C. for allowing us to use their grounds for county matches and county cup finals.
14. AFC Fylde, Bamber Bridge F.C., Blackpool F.C., Bolton Wanderers F.C., Bury F.C., Fleetwood Town F.C., and Orange Soccer for providing opponents for friendly matches.
15. Fulwood Amateurs F.C. for allowing us to stage our Under 16 Boys’ trials at the ground.
16. Officials at the Blackburn Power League for allowing us to use their centre for the Under 12 Boys’ Five a Side Competition.
17. Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Blackburn, the Head Teacher, sports and ground staff for the use of such excellent facilities for the LSFA Summer Coaching Course, ESFA and LSFA trials.
18. St Bede’s High School, Blackburn, especially Chris Bentley and John Turner, for organising the use of the 3G for our Under 12 seven a side Finals.
19. The JMO Sports’ Park, Skelmersdale, especially Charlie Haynes, for use of the 3G pitches for County Matches and the Under 11 Danone Cup Competitions.
20. Craven Stationery, Skipton for printing our County Match Programmes.
21. Tony Greenwood of Kipax Photography for taking photos at our county games and cup finals.
22. Teachers at all levels, primary to tertiary, school teams to district and county representative sides in their various roles as coaches, managers, administrators.
23. Head Teachers and Principals in our schools and colleges for their support in the release of players and staff for matches.
24. The AOTTs who are now helping schools’ football in various capacities
25. Parents, families and supporters of players at all levels for their friendship and support in a long but successful season.