The final of the Sussex Les Kempster Challenge Trophy (Under-13s) is due to take place on Sunday 28 April 2019 between Patcham United and ASC Strikers.

Patcham United vs. ASC Strikers
Sussex Les Kempster Challenge Trophy Final (Under-13s)
Date: Sunday 28 April 2019 
Kick-off: 10.30am
Venue: Sussex County FA, Culver Road, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9AX

A second successive County Cup Final will be a special occasion in more ways than one for Patcham United under-13s.

Coaches Phil Knight, who started the side as under-6s, and Darren Cheverton, who has helped for five years, are stepping down after the game and the pair are incredibly proud as they look forward to Sunday’s Sussex Les Kempster Challenge Trophy Final (Under-13s) against ASC Strikers.

Knight said: “We have reached back-to-back finals now, as we got to the final last year and narrowly lost to Eastbourne All Stars. We are just a grassroots team and the boys have done well again to reach the final, with 72 teams in the competition. For a group of mates, run by a couple of dads from Patcham, it is a pretty good achievement.

“I have a squad of 14 boys and ten of them were at the very first training session I took at under-6s eight years ago. They have only ever known Patcham as a club and us coaching them. We haven’t gone out and handpicked players from teams and academies, we are simply a team run by two dads and a group of mates who have really stepped up over the years we have had them. To reach two County Cup Finals is great.”

Patcham United won Sussex Sunday Youth Football League Division One last year, but have had more of a mixed season this time around in a division dominated by ASC Strikers.

Knight, who is stepping down to spend more time with his family, said: “We are hoping the team will continue. We are completely proud of the boys in reaching two County Cup Finals and we will enjoy our last game together as players, managers and coaches. We will be underdogs but we will give it our best go.”

ASC Strikers are enjoying a fantastic season - both as an under-13s side and as a club. They have gone for a different approach this season, bringing in professional coaches to run their teams, and the results have been impressive.

Manager, Del Tobias said: “We are unbeaten in the league and we have only lost once this season, to Eastbourne Town in the Knockout Cup. It is a newer team. We went from nine-a-side to 11-a-side and we had to run trials to get players in. It was good to recruit so many good players at the start of the season and obviously working them hard in training and coaching them has paid off.

“It would be nice to do the double. I did a similar thing with an under-16s team I had. With that team, we were struggling at under-12s age group, we ran some trials and managed to get some boys in. We managed to win a couple of cup finals and won the league. We are hoping for the same from this age group over the next few years, that they will be successful in league and cup competitions on a regular basis.”

Tobias added: “I have been involved for 16 years now and this is one of the most successful seasons ever for the club. We have put in place a programme where we have coaches that were working professionally with a local academy, called Learn Play Achieve Academy, who have come in to run grassroots teams at the club. These professional coaches are running the teams and coaching the kids, rather than a parent running the side, and it means it is done in a slightly different and more professional way.

“It has proved to be good with the most successful season we have had. Our under-12s won the league cup and came runners-up in the league; our under-13s won the league and are in the County Cup Final; our under-14s are a little bit of a struggling team at the moment; the under-15s came runners-up in their league; and the under-16s won their league and are in the knockout cup final. We are putting in proper coaching programmes and structure into the club which is reaping benefits.”

Entry prices for the final are as follows:
£3.00 Adult (17+)
£2.00 Concession (65+ and students with valid student ID card)
FREE Child (16 and under)

For further details about the Sussex Les Kempster Challenge Trophy (Under-13s) please contact Competitions:

Competitions
T: 01903 753547
E: Competitions@SussexFA.com