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The FA People's Cup enjoys a manic Monday in Manchester

Tuesday 26 May 2015
Manchester Amp FC celebrate with the trophy after winning the Disability Final
After three months which has seen 14,000 teams battle to try and reach FA People's Cup finals day, Monday's action in Manchester did not disappoint.

Ten thrilling finals were decided by stunning goals, staunch defending and, in three cases, a penalty shoot-out.

From Under-14s girls winners AFC Kempston Girls and Disability champions Manchester Amputees to Walking football kings Codnor and Men's victors Prize Hunters, there was no shortage of supreme skill and dedicated teamwork on show.

One of the highlights of the morning saw 17-year-old England Cerebral Palsy international Ollie Nugent on hand to present medals to the finalists, and duly did so to international team-mate Harry Baker, who was in action for his local side West Midlands, as they beat North West 6-5 in the highest scoring final of the day.

Men

Men's winners Prize Hunters

The pair will unite for England's assault on the World Championships at St. George's Park next month and Baker hopes he can prove to be something of an inspiration for other budding footballers with his condition.

“If people saw me three years ago compared to what I am now they would have said 'you haven't got a chance'. Anyone can progress, you just have to work hard and have a bit of luck,” said the 17-year-old.

“I'm not someone who will play for England and nowhere else. Not everyone has the opportunity to play for England, but they have now had a chance to play with an England international and that hopefully inspires other people to play this sort of football.”

In one of the day's first finals, local side Abraham Moss Warriors, who claim to boast the country's most diverse squad, were narrowly beaten in the Under-14s Boys category.

Liverpool Feds won the female competition

The Cheetham Hill-based team are coached by June Kelly MBE, who says players of 45 different nationalities have been on her books since establishing the Warriors in 2001.

Experienced 11-a-side team Ole United, named after goalkeeper Elizabeth Hobson's cat, took on the shorter format, but were beaten 2-1 by Cambridge in the Under-16s Girls final.

And another set of seasoned campaigners also finished runners-up in the Veterans final, with Tuttle United of Bournemouth defeated on penalties by Canaries Allstars.

Tuttle have played together for 25 years and claim to have only lost 50 times in a quarter of a century, winning 125 trophies in the process of their period of domination.

And though the FA People's Cup alluded them the same could not be said for Prize Hunters, who finished off the day in style with an astonishing comeback from a 3-0 deficit to Twisted Cinnamon before winning on penalties. One of the day's star players Kurt Herbert scoring the decisive spot-kick to ensure his team will be among 90,000 at Wembley Stadium for Saturday's FA Cup final between Arsenal and Aston Villa. 


By FA Staff