ISFA Soccer Sixes – St Bede’s triumphant!
Sir Alex Ferguson with the triumphant St Bede's Team
The ISFA Six a Side Tournament was a resounding successs, not least because St Bede’s won the prestigious trophy which has been contested annually since 1957 and which brought 32 schools from all over England and also Jersey to Brantingham Road Playing Fields on Sunday 9th September.
After winning their group in the morning, the College team progressed to the quarter-final with a narrow 2-1 victory over Repton. In an epic encounter St Bede’s then defeated the tournament favourites Millfield 3-2 before gaining their place in the final with a comfortable 3-1 win over Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. In a hard fought encounter with Charterhouse, goals from Robert and Daniel gained St Bede’s their second triumph in the tournament, our previous success occuring in 2004.
Played in ideal weather conditions, the ISFA competition revealed St Bede’s College at it’s very best. Twenty six teachers, forty two 6th Form students and numerous parents ensured that the organisation went without hitch and 288 players and 64 coaches were well looked after throughout the day.
Former Premier League football referee David Elleray, who is chairman of ISFA, said in his letter of thanks,
“Yesterday was a great triumph for St Bede’s. Nothing was left to chance and the attention to detail ensured that everyone had the most enjoyable day.
Thank you so much for the warmth that greeted us all from the moment we arrived. It was an outstanding effort to have so many staff and senior pupils involved and every one of them gave the impression they were pleased to be there. The individual guide for each team was especially successful and greatly appreciated.
Thank you does not quite adequately express the gratitude of everyone from ISFA and a2om for all your school did. I am sure that there will be many people who will long-remember yesterday and St Bede’s boys and staff will be an integral part of those happy memories.
It was, without doubt, one of the best Sixes tournament in the competition’s long history.”
