Wiganers set for midnight final

Friday 27th June 2008 (ref: WLCT 56/2008)

Wigan Youth celebrate winning the Wigan Borough Midnight Leagues finals at Robin Park. Pictured (left to right) are: Craig Anthony (Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Sports Development), Philip Bowdler, Luke Toker, Matthew Savage, Trevor Bartram (Wigan Cultural Olympiad Champion), Ryan Sumner, Andrew Beardsworth, Andrew Forshaw, Jake Foster, Gareth Melling (supporter), Nathan Williams and Karen Freeman (Wigan Council CYPS Youth Worker).

Young people from Wigan and Hindley are limbering up for the final of a national football competition.

Wigan Youth under-16 boys will represent the North West at the GAME ON Midnight League final to be played at Doncaster Rovers, Keepmoat Stadium on July 5th.

The team took their first step to the national final when they won the Wigan Borough GAME ON Midnight League final, organised by the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Sports Development Unit, at Robin Park Arena in April. Qualification was assured when the team finished runner-up in the North West Regional Finals, also held at Robin Park Arena, in May.

Wigan Youth will now take on teams from the North West, North East, Yorkshire and East Midlands in the national final. A Hindley girls under-14s side have also been invited to compete in the finals in Doncaster.

Both Wigan Borough teams have been given free Kipsta kits by GAME ON to wear during the tournament. The event will see around 500 young people take part in six competitions for boys and girls at under-14 and under-16 level. Richard Caborn MP, the ambassador for Britain’s possible 2018 World Cup bid, and former Everton, Leeds Utd and Doncaster Rovers footballer Ian Snodin will attend the competition and present medals.

The GAME ON Midnight Leagues are held across four former coalfield regions with the aim of tackling key issues such as health and well-being and anti-social behaviour through increasing participation amongst young people in football. The scheme is run by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, with support from partners like local authority sports development teams, youth groups and football clubs, and is part funded by the Football Foundation. more.

Kevin Tasker, GAME ON Football Coordinator (North West), said:

"Wigan Youth and Hindley FC have done exceptionally well to reach this year's GAME ON Midnight League National Finals, as have all of the other teams representing the North West. I'd like to wish all our teams the best of luck at the finals and hope to see as many as possible return victorious."

Notes to editors

Further information

  • The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) is an independent charity dedicated to social and economic regeneration of coalfield communities throughout the UK. Since it was established in 1999 the Trust has awarded grants of over £90m to over 1,550 projects that have improved the quality of life in the UK’s coalfields regions.
  • However, The CRT is not just a grant-making body. It also provides advice and support to community and voluntary groups to help them confirm their eligibility for funding, define their needs, create practical solutions, and seek funding from a variety of different sources. For further information, visit http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk (external link)