Northumberland Schools Football Association

U16 boys 1996-97

At this time, to qualify for the national rounds (the quarter-finals) Counties had to reach the final of their regional qualifying competition.

So, for Northumberland, this meant being placed in the first two of the Northern Counties East League; and thus qualifying to play a Northern Counties semi-final.  Winning that semi-final meant a place in the Northern Counties final and a place in the National quarter-finals.

The teams results were:

Northern Counties East League

v. Cumbria (h) drew 3-3
v. Cleveland (h) won 4-1
v. South Yorkshire (h) won 5-2
v. Durham (a) won 2-1
v. North Yorkshire (a) won 4-0

So, unbeaten, Northumberland topped the East League and so hosted the runners-up from the West League in the Northern Counties semi-final.

Northern Counties Semi-final

v. Greater Manchester (h) won 2-1

After this victory, Northumberland entered the ESFA National Inter County Competition.

ESFA National Competition

Quarter-final: v. Derbyshire (a) won 1-0
Semi-final: v. West Midlands (h) won 4-2



This is the team that played v West Midlands at the Blue Flames Ground

Back: Ross Anderson, Stephen Warwick, Mark Maley, Colin Morton, Michael Swann, Mark Lazenby, Darren Fisher, James Harmison, Stephen Todd

Front: David Tremble, Karl Porter, Chris Ellis, Graham Hogg, Kris Leighton, Michael Carrick, Andy Hay.



Final: v. Oxfordshire (a) won 3-2 (a.e.t) at The Manor Ground, Oxford



This photograph appeared in the ESFA Handbook.


After the win over Oxfordshire, Northumberland had one more match to play, the Northern Counties Final...

Northern Counties Final

v. Merseyside won 3-1 (played at the Wheatsheaf Ground)

Season's record

P10     W9     D1      L0      For 31     Against  13

Further information about the players in the Final is HERE

Ther are (some rather poor quality) after-match photos HERE

You can read a detailed account of the Final v Oxfordshire HERE


This much briefer report appeared in the Evening Chronicle:

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