Nottingham and Lichfield schools won the trophies in 2008
IF you thought the road to Wembley was long - spare a thought for Lichfield's Friary School and Nottingham's Trinity School. They were crowned Minute Maid under-13 Schools Cup champions in May 2008 - after a competition that started with 40,000 players and 2,000 schools. Inspired by Aston Villa youngster and captain Katie Wilkinson, Friary edged Romford's Frances Bardsley School for Girls 3-2.
Trinity were more convincing as Louis Greenway-Tambini - a schoolboy with Leicester City - scored a double in their 3-1 boys’ final win over Dorset's Poole Grammar.
Coventry's Ricoh Arena staged both finals – the culmination of what has quickly become Europe’s largest
11-a-side school football competition.
Friary coach Carol Clague praised her team’s hard-working qualities – hailing the win as a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for her students.
“It is absolutely fantastic to come to Coventry and walk away winners‚” she said. “I’m so pleased for all the girls – they worked so hard and really deserve this.
“They are a really talented bunch and the players gel together and have a really great team spirit, which carries them on the pitch.
“It was really tense towards the end when they pulled two goals back and at 3–0 we thought we would win it easy and were preparing some substitutes.