Against all odds, 2019-20 National Champions are crowned at Lilleshall National Sports Centre
Ewell Castle School v St Bede’s College in a English Schools Football Association Boys Under 13 Boys Small Schools Cup Final match at Lilleshall National Sports Centre on Thursday 15th October 2020 (c) Garry Griffiths | ThreeFiveThree Photography 
Co-Op Academy Walkden v Ivybridge Community College in a English Schools Football Association Boys Under 15 Girls Schools Cup Final match at Lilleshall National Sports Centre on Tuesday 13th October 2020 (c) Garry Griffiths | ThreeFiveThree Photography 
Ivybridge Community College v Wade Deacon High School in a English Schools Football Association Boys Under 15 Boys Schools Cup Final match at Lilleshall National Sports Centre on Tuesday 13th October 2020 (c) Garry Griffiths | ThreeFiveThree Photography 
Turton School v Bishops Stortford School in a English Schools Football Association Boys Under 14 Boys Schools Cup Final match at Lilleshall National Sports Centre on Wednesday 14th October 2020 (c) Garry Griffiths | ThreeFiveThree Photography 
St Bede’s RC School & Byron College v Whitgift School in a English Schools Football Association Boys Under 12 Elite Schools Cup Final match at Lilleshall National Sports Centre on Monday 12th October 2020 (c) Garry Griffiths | ThreeFiveThree Photography
The English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) is delighted to have completed the 2019/20 season for inter-school football from the 12 – 19 October at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.
The Association took the step to complete the National Cup competitions for 2019/20, rather than abandoning the season, once it was clear that there was a positive appetite from those schools remaining in the competitions to continue with fixtures from September 2020. The 21 finals were planned to take place at former England training ground, Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire and staff from both the ESFA and Lilleshall worked tirelessly to ensure the event could run as smoothly as possible, adapting plans to meet Government guidance and providing a safe environment for the matches to take place.
Due to Covid-19 regulations for hosting the event, spectators were not permitted at any of the matches, however each fixture was streamed live online via the ESFA’s YouTube channel, ESFA TV – with the videos, so far, reaching over 60,000 views and including live, interactive ‘player of the match’ votes, via the ESFA’s Twitter account (@SchoolsFootball). The live streams are now available to re-watch and match highlights should also soon be available for players, schools, parents, and football fans to relive some fantastic moments brought to us by finalists this season, as well as a ‘goal of the tournament’ vote, to be hosted on Twitter in November.
Lockdown restrictions in the UK ceased schools’ football activity back in March and there was uncertainty as to whether this season would be completed, or whether the loss of a season of schools’ football would be just another sad occurrence as a result of the ongoing global pandemic. However, thanks to the dedication of the ESFA and the support of participating schools across England, a large majority of the Schools’ Football season was able to be completed, crowning 13 schools National Champions and a further 30 Schools and teams joint National Champions – you can find all the fixture results, for those matches played or titles awarded in the table below.
On the completion of so many National Finals already, despite the odds, Phil Harding, ESFA Chairman (19/20 – 20/21) said “Our National Finals have again showcased all that is unique and special about schools’ football. Lifelong memories, with young people demonstrating that they can be competitive, considerate and truly enjoy their football. Our thanks to all of the staff involved, the parents and carers who support their sons and daughters in their sporting endeavours, the match officials, and the staff at Lilleshall NSC.”
Pete Harris from the Bishop Stortford High School in Lea Valley, London said: “I wanted to thank [the ESFA] for organising the finals this year. It would have been easier to not have them, but I really appreciated the ESFA giving our students the opportunity to play, as it brought back a little bit of ‘normal’ playing a schools’ cup fixture. My students had a fantastic day and it has given a real buzz to the school over the past week!”
This news comes ahead of the last two National Finals for 2019/20 season to be played at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, which are due to take place on Saturday 31 October, featuring the U13 representative teams from Gateshead Schools’ FA and Croydon Schools’ FA and the U16 representative teams from Bedfordshire Schools’ FA and Staffordshire Schools’ FA. Both of these matches will also be streamed live with full commentary via www.youtube.com/esfatv. The U13 Inter Association Trophy final will kick off at 2pm with the U16 County Cup final kicking off at 3pm.
The ESFA is delighted to have been able to complete the 19/20 season and to provide hundreds of school children in England the opportunity to play in their respective National Finals, despite the unprecedented interruptions, stress and turmoil of 2020. Photo galleries from each National Final are available via 353 Photography .
Match Day Programme
You can view / download a copy of the match day programme covering 12 – 19 October here:
Results & Competition winners
Live matches
Monday 12 October 2020
| ESFA U12 Elite PlayStation FC Schools’ Cup | St Bede’s RC School & Byron College (East Durham) | 3 6 | V | 3 5 | Whitgift School (Croydon) (penalties) |
| ESFA U14 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup | Repton School (Derby) | 0 | V | 4 | Claremont School *(West Sussex) |
Tuesday 13 October 2020
| ESFA U12 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup | St Michael’s CE Middle School (Poole & East Dorset) | 1 | V | 2 | St Mary’s College (Sefton) |
| ESFA U15 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup | Buckswood School (South East Dorset) | 3 | V | 1 | St Mary’s College (Sefton) |
| ESFA U15 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup | Ivybridge Community College (Plymouth) | 1 4 | V | 1 3 | Wade Deacon High School (Halton) (penalties) |
| ESFA U15 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup for B Teams | Walkden High School (Salford) | 3 | V | 6 | Ivybridge Community College (Plymouth) |
Wednesday 14 October 2020
| ESFA U14 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup | Turton School (Bolton) | 1 | V | 2 | The Bishop Stortford High School (Lea Valley) |
Thursday 15 October 2020
| ESFA U13 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup | Ewell Castle School (Kingston) | 1 | V | 5 | St Bede’s College (Manchester) |
| ESFA U18 Schools’ Cup Final | Repton School (Derby) | 3 | V | 0 | Wilson’s School (Sutton) |
Friday 16 October 2020
| ESFA U13 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup | Sandwell Academy (Sandwell) | 0 10 | V | 0 11 | Shenfield High School (Chelmsford & Mid Essex) (penalties) |
| ESFA U14 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup for Girls | Hodgson Academy (Blackpool) | 5 | V | 4 | Shenfield High School (Chelmsford & Mid Essex) |
| ESFA U16 Small Schools’ Cup | LeAF Studio School (Bournemouth) | 1 | V | 7 | Brooke House College (South Leicestershire) |
Monday 19 October 2020
| ESFA U13 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup | Emerson Park School (Havering) | 4 | V | 5 | St Peter’s Catholic School (Solihull) |
Joint winners
ESFA Schools’ Cup Competitions
| U18 B Team Cup | Everton Free School (Liverpool) & Hampton School (Richmond) |
| ESFA U16 Schools’ Cup | Brooke House College (South Leicestershire) & Hampton School (Richmond) |
| ESFA U16 Schools’ Cup for B Teams | Sandbach School (Sandbach) & Hampton School (Richmond) |
| ESFA U16 Elite Schools’ Cup | Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School (Liverpool) & Whitgift School (Croydon) |
| ESFA U15 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup | Torquay Boys’ Grammar School (Torbay) & Kepier School (Sunderland) |
| ESFA U12 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup | St Francis Xavier College (Liverpool) & The Toynbee School (Eastleigh & Winchester) |
| ESFA U14 PlayStation F.C. B Team Schools’ Cup | Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School (Liverpool) & Kingsdale Foundation School (South London) |
| ESFA U15 PlayStation F.C. B Team Schools’ Cup | St Bonaventure’s School (Newham) & Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School (Liverpool) |
| ESFA U14 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup | Claremont School (West Sussex) & Wright Robinson College (Manchester) |
| ESFA U13 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup for Girls | The Cherwell School (Oxford) & Alder Grange School (Rossendale) |
| ESFA U18 Schools’ Cup for Girls | Thomas Telford School (Telford & Wrekin) & Barking Abbey School (Barking & Dagenham) |
ESFA Representative Team Cup Competitions
| ESFA U14 PlayStation F.C. Inter County Cup for Girls | Lancashire Schools’ FA & Middlesex Schools’ FA |
| ESFA U16 Inter County Cup for Girls | Lancashire Schools’ FA & Somerset Schools’ FA |
| ESFA U15 PlayStation F.C. Inter Association Trophy | Croydon District Schools’ FA & Sefton District Schools’ FA |
| ESFA U18 Inter County Cup | Gloucestershire County Schools’ FA & Staffordshire County Schools’ FA |
The National Governing Body for Schools’ Football in England.
