Courtesy: The FA.com


More Wembley qualifiers

Friday, 03 May 2013

FA Fives Finals taking shape as Midlands Regional Final sees nine more teams through

Birmingham Futsal Club will be walking out at Wembley stadium in The FA Fives Finals as Midlands champions after taking the crown at Goals Black Country by beating Hurricanes.

Three players from France, a Pole, a Pakistani and a Zimbabwean make up most of the Birmingham squad and captain Goodwill Moraka said: “Qualifying for Wembley makes a welcome change to working in Nando’s!

“Seriously, this is going to be special and we’ve got a real chance after proving we’re the best five-a-side team in the Midlands!”

Knocked out four times in the Regionals without losing a game is the unlikely record of Hurricanes – until now!

Beaten on penalties every time, this year they lost the Regional Final on penalties, but still qualify as runners-up and that without a conceding a goal!

Surely captain Andrew Bishop has the most unlikely job of any player going to Wembley, he’s a professional gambler.

He explained: “I only bet on two sports. A bit of football, but mostly it’s tennis. I watch it and know the sport inside out and make my living from it.”

MDU claim to be the most successful five-a-side team in the country – regular Wembley visitors and first winners of The FA Fives.

MDU II might be their second team on paper, but they also go to Wembley after finishing third in the Midlands.

Qualifying as winners of The FA Fives Grassroots Final at Goals Black Country, FC Stallions came together playing Sunday league football and the players could hardly believe they’d booked a dream trip to Wembley.

Captain Ross Clarke said: “I’ve been once before and quite simply, if you ask me about the idea of playing at Wembley then I simply say, there’s nothing bigger!”

Also Wembley-bound after finishing runners-up in The FA Fives Grassroots Midlands Final are Albion Foundation.

Part of the Albion Community Programme, the players are students on Futsal scholarships.

All aged 18 and below, they will be one of the youngest teams to qualify for Wembley – and they should also be one of the fittest as part of their scholarship programme sees them train every day.

“It’s fantastic,” said captain Dharam Singh-Jheet.

“To play at the home of English football is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s what everyone who plays football dreams of and for us it’s come true.”

In The FA Fives Grassroots Women’s event, A-Town Ladies qualified as Midlands champions.

Three of the team have played together since being team-mates in an U12 side, so teamwork and understanding shouldn’t be a problem.

Captain Emma Allen, a PE teacher from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, said: “I’ve only been to Wembley Stadium once before – and that wasn’t to see football!

“We went to watch Muse in concert. That was great, but this is going to be something else. I’m not sure what my students will think, but they might be a little jealous of Miss!”

A-Town Ladies are joined at Wembley by Loughborough Women, Keele Women FC and The Mix, whose captain Sarah Hamill added: “We’re very proud to have qualified, especially as we started the regional qualifying group matches with only four players.

“That made us even more determined to hold our own, so the fact that we’ve booked out place at Wembley makes it extra special!”






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com