On Monday 8th July 2024, Blackpool FC Community Trust held their annual Jimmy Armfield Memorial Trophy Tournament at Stanley Park.
The tournament uses the power of football to bring people together and celebrate the career and life of one of Blackpool’s biggest icons and footballing legends, Sir Jimmy Armfield. Schools were invited to bring year three and four pupils to compete in the tournament with the same qualities Jimmy applied within his own career, which was to have fun, learn how to win and lose well, and do you best.
The event held by Blackpool FC Community Trust was attended by approx. 175 pupils from 21 primary schools who played out an amazing morning of football, competing in 52 small-sided matches. There were some brilliant individual and team performances on the day, and the top teams of the groups went through to the quarter finals of the trophy, and our first ever plate competition to maximise the teams’ opportunities to go through into the knockout stages of the day. The group games were played out in an excellent manner fitting of Jimmy’s qualities.
Both the trophy and plate quarter finals were competed in the same way, well done to the teams that advanced into the semi-finals.
The trophy semi-finals were contested by St Nicholas CofE vs Baines Endowed and Layton Primary School vs Holy Family Catholic Primary School, with St Nicholas and Holy Family progressing to the final. The trophy final was won by St Nicholas CofE, their third year in a row as winners, after winning emphatically against Holy Family in a 5-0 result.
The plate semi-finals were contested by Marton Primary Academy v Waterloo Primary Academy and Norbreck Primary Academy v Devonshire Primary Academy, with Norbreck and Waterloo progressing to the first ever plate final! The plate final was contested in great spirit by both teams, well done to Norbreck for winning 2-1 in a close fought final and becoming our first ever plate winners.
All pupils in both finals played with a fantastic attitude and applied themselves well in the true spirit of the game, and it was a pleasure to host the event in memory of Jimmy Armfield.
Simon Smith, Primary PE Manager at Blackpool FC Community Trust, said,
“It was amazing morning under the sunshine at Stanley Park, and it was brilliant to see all the new pitches in use and all eight pitches with teams on simultaneously. This is the biggest and best Armfield Memorial Trophy to date and just showed the popularity of our tournament with the number of teams and schools attending.
“It was brilliant to be able to host a plate competition alongside the trophy this year. Well done to St Nicholas for retaining the trophy for the third year in a row, and also to Norbreck, our first ever Jimmy Armfield plate winners.”
View all photos from this years tournament here: www.facebook.com/share/QKq8kScFf1FHgU5y/