SCHOOLS' FINALS AND THEN HOLIDAYS. HOORAH!

424, not a formation, this is the number of schools that entered the  English Schools FA Hudl Cup for pupils in Year 11-13, way back in September. The final is tomorrow at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster Rovers FC at 12 o'clock. A fitting end to a long season.

Altrincham Boys Grammar school play Millfield School from the independent sector. Millfield have already lost the Independent Schools FA U18 Cup Final.

The draw is made regionally to help with travel, so Millfield made their way through 8 rounds, with one bye, then playing teams from the south west (North Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall, Gloucester until the quarter-finals when they had to travel to Hampton School in Surrey and then met Bedes' School East Sussex, both independent schools and very much "southern".

Altrincham Boys GS met opponents after a bye, playing teams from Doncaster, Bolton. Manchester, Heckmondwike, Liverpool, Chesterfield and South Cheshire.

It would be unfair to suggest that the northern route is tougher! But en route they beat Manchester Grammar School another strong independent school.

Local to me are Shelley College and Penistone GS. Shelley had a bye in Round 1 and were knocked out in Round 2 by Notre Dame Sheffield.
Penistone GS also had a bye to start with and then reached Round 4 losing to Sacred Heart, Sefton.

Have a look at the rest of the fixtures http://www.esfa.co.uk/competitions/?2016/Boys/u18b_st/9
and perhaps look further into the ESFA website which will show you how strong schools football is in our country from youngsters to girls. All are catered for.

Tomorrow at 4pm after the Schools' Final, it is the turn of the colleges when Farnborough Sixth Form College (Aldershot and District) meet York College.

It's a feast of football.