Joe, Harvey, Ben and Ben

Four talented footballers from GEMS who are part of the Newcastle Schools District Under 13 team, helped achieve an historic victory by winning the Inter-Association Football Trophy. It is the first time that the competition has been won by the Newcastle Under 13 side and 87 years since any Newcastle team brought the trophy to the city.

The team beat teams from Nottingham and Sheffield in the quarter and semi finals and inflicted the first defeat of the season on North Kent whom they beat in the final 2-1.

The match played at St Andrew’s Stadium, home of Championship team Birmingham City, was watched live by several hundred supporters who were joined by thousands more who watched the live stream of the game. Ben said ‘it was a once in a life time opportunity to play a huge national final in a championship ground’.

Harvey’s proud parents and grandparents were at the game along with Joe’s Dad and other relatives of our boys. Several members of Year 8 watched the live stream in school so were with the team in spirit if not in person.

It was understandably an edgy start, with nerves really rattled when an early shot for North Kent deflected off a defender’s leg. Tension had eased by the second half and after the team talk by manger Kev Drinkeld who told the team to be patient and to keep trying hard because victory would come. And he was right!

Early in the second half, a free kick from about 40yards led to the first goal when the ball soared over the keeper’s head for an impressive ,but admittedly, lucky goal. This gave the GEMS boys confidence and kept their hopes of winning alive. Harvey said there was ‘no better feeling than that’. Ten minutes later, Ben made a tackle and the ball fell to Nathan who sent through a ‘dream pass’ which, according to Ben, was ‘calmly tucked away in the roof of the net’. The last ten minutes were nail biting after a 71st minute goal by North Kent, but Newcastle hung on for a fantastic victory.

The cup was presented by the chairman of the ESFA (English Schools Football Association) and the Mayor of Birmingham. Joe said, ‘it was the best feeling ever when we lifted the trophy’.

We’ll leave the last word to Harvey who said, ‘It was a roller-coaster of emotion throughout the competition. But it was a proud moment for me and my family when we won’.