The Guest of Honour was Dr John Little, a decent player in his day who has been on the FA Council for a number of years, representing the Cambridge University AFC. John and I played together in the 1970s! We both look no older, his charming wife, Wendy, said-I think she was referring to how we looked this year, compared to last year!
David Elleray is the ISFA Chairman and he hosted the occasion, supported by Mark Dickson, who ran the football at Shrewsbury School for many years and who organises this tournament and especially the very important cup final (amongst other jobs). His attention to deatil was spot on.
In "hospitality" were assorted members of the sponsors, Boodles' Jewellery Company, other sponsors and members of the schools involved, committee, referees and so on. We were well looked after!
Just under 1,000 youngsters, parents, football scouts and so on, made up the crowd in a stadium which is modern, crystal clean and the pitch in very good condition. Young lads don't tear pitches up, even with a constant supply of rain falling on it during the evening.
The game was played between many times winners, Millfield School from Somerset and first time finalists, Queen Ethelburga's of York, two geographically diagonally opposite educational establishments. So that's the long words out of the way.
The game was played to a very high standard and as we would expect, very fairly. The final was won by Millfield, eventually, in extra time 5-4. The crowd saw a game that was never quite won until the last minutes, with penalty kicks looming. QE made very effective opponents.
Refereed by Tom Nield, he was supported by officials, usually associated with the schools involved, Oliver Mackay and Ruebyn Ricardo with Tim Meredith as thre 4th official.There was no VAR!
MK Dons have hosted the final for a number of years now and Charterhouse won there in 2010-11 beating Eton, a final shared by two schools at the heart of Football history.
Millfield have been to the final ten times since the tournament's first season in 1992-3. They are regular finalists but lost to Charterhouse in 2007-8 after a 0-0 and pens.
https://www.isfa.org.uk/index.php/competitions/boodles-isfa-cup-past-tournaments/story/258/2007-08-charterhouse-0-millfield-0
Millfield lost last season's final to Royal Russell from Croydon but have won the cup four times.
Charterhouse has been to the final 5 times, winning twice, the other victory against Eton 2-0 on March 10th 2011, in an history fixture. On the way to the final, Charterhouse beat Millfield 3-2 in the semi-final.
Read the report linked below to find out about a Lineker scoring in the 2011 final!
https://www.isfa.org.uk/index.php/competitions/boodles-isfa-cup-past-tournaments/story/261/2010-11-charterhouse-2-eton-0
Ethelburgas became the first school from Yorkshire to win the cup and the first northern school to win it for 16 years. The first ISFA final was lost by Charterhouse in 1992-3 beaten by Forest School from Snaresbrook, Essex in 1992-3. That final was played at Craven Cottage.
The other professional club to host the final has been Leicester City, with finals played at both the their stadiums. Here is Charterhouse captain, Matthew Bailey (sorry!!), soaring above a Shrewsbury midfielder, as his team lost the final 0-1 at Filbert Street. Report below:
https://www.isfa.org.uk/index.php/competitions/boodles-isfa-cup-past-tournaments/story/250/1999-2000-shrewsbury-1-charterhouse-0
This leads me to list the some of the Independent Schoolboys who have become professional footballers:
Frank Lampard at Brentwood School would be one! Others include:
Hudson Odoi (Whitgift, Croydon), Oxlade-Chamberlain (St John's Southsea), Michael Keane (St Bede's Manchester), Tyrone Mings (Millfield), Will Hughes (Repton), Solly March (Bedes, Hailsham), Nick Pope (King's Ely), Callum Chambers (Churcher's Petersfield),Jude Bellingham (Priory School), Fraser Forster (RGS Newcastle) amongst several dozen others still in the game.
ISFA caters for all school aged players and both male and female.
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