ESFA National Finals, National Competitions

U16 B Team Cup – Joint National Champions Crowned

Sandbach School and Hampton School crowned champions in the 2019/20 U16 B Team Schools’ Cup for Boys Competition

Hampton v St Aloysius’, ESFA U18 semi final, 12-02-2020
U16 B Team squad in 2019 at the PlayStation Schools’ Cup U15 National Final

The English Schools’ FA has declared Sandbach School (South Cheshire SFA) and Hampton School (Richmond SFA) joint champions of the ESFA Under 16 B Team Schools’ Cup for Boys for Season 2019-2020.

The decision has been taken after Covid-19 prematurely ended the season and it was established that it would not be feasible to host the National Final after the school summer holiday. 

Sandbach School started their campaign with a 2-0 away win at Fallibroome School (Macclesfield) win with a 2-0.  In round two the Cheshire based school hosted perennial national champion, Thomas Telford School and managed to secure a memorable 1-0 win before defeating St Ambrose College from Trafford, 2-1, in round three.  Sandbach enjoyed a 3-1 win against Wolfreton School from East Riding in the Quarter-Final and subsequently earned a place in the final with a 1-0 win at home to St Francis Xavier’s College from Liverpool.

Hampton School made use of their home advantage in round one with a 3-0 win against The Forest School from North Sussex, before edging past The Swanage School (Poole) with a 1-0 win in round two.  Rounds three and four proved to be more straight forward for the Richmond based school as they enjoyed 7-0 wins against Steyning Grammar School (Worthing) and Tiverton High School (Devon).  The Hampton boys earned a place in the semi-final with a closely fought 1-0 at home to St Aloysius from Islington and Camden.

Darren Alcock, ESFA National Competitions Manager said “Players and staff at Sandbach School and Hampton School have worked incredibly hard to reach this English Schools’ FA Cup Final.  It isn’t necessarily the way in which we envisaged bringing the competitions to a conclusion, but in the circumstances, we are very pleased to have reached a resolution which recognises the effort, skill and determination of those involved with both teams.  To be crowned a National Champion is an extremely prestigious honour, so we hope that the players, staff and school communities will enjoy this accolade and we wish the players well in their future football endeavours.” 

David Burke, Director of Football at Hampton School said “To see three Hampton football teams named as joint winners of their respective 2020 English Schools’ FA Cup competitions is a phenomenal achievement and our teams’ success will be celebrated by all in the Hampton community. We would also like to congratulate Everton Free School, Brooke House College and Sandbach High School, on being named joint winners in the U18, U16 and U16B tournaments. The English Schools’ FA Cup competitions showcase the best of English schoolboy football and we are thrilled that Hampton footballers continue to perform well in these national competitions. We are delighted that the boys at the senior end of the school have been rewarded for all their commitment and hard work throughout their years at Hampton and would like to thank everyone who has been involved. We will display the trophies with pride.”

Mike  Southern, Master in Charge of Football at Sandbach School said “We were delighted to see that Sandbach School crowned joint winners of the U16 English Schools cup to follow our previous 2 years success. We were amazed to see that Hampton would be our opponents for the third successive season and couldn’t think of a a more fitting school to share the prize with. Our other encounters have both been tightly fought contests with us just coming out on top both times.  

For our School to compete on the same stage as a school with a football program of that magnitude is a credit to out players and the staff and the strides we have made in previous years to develop and cultivate the talent we have here. The U16 squad, some of who will leave us now,   have been the first crop of our new model at the school and we hope to be competing at National level on a regular basis. We are delighted for all members of the squad and when the time is right will get back together to celebrate an unprecedented level of success that have achieved.”