Primary League 5-A-Side Tournament

Thursday 24th 2010f June 2010


Picture: Clive Butchin

600 junior Jewish footballers, from a total of 75 teams, encompassing nine age groups took part in Sunday’s Maccabi Primary outdoor 5-a-side tournament.

MILLET SPORT

PHOTOGALLERY

And as well as sides from London competing, teams from Manchester and Leeds also took part in an epic eight hours of football, all playing together under the Maccabi banner.

Maccabi Primary League chairman Laurence Thorne said: "Brilliant sums up the day and I'd like to take first thank Manchester Maccabi and Leeds Maccabi for attending our annual event, it was a pleasure hosting them today.

"I'd also like to thank Anita Poulman, David Lando, Steven Rinder, Elliott Thorne and Andreas Poulman, as well as the 16 qualified referees for ensuring the matches went without a hitch."

Playing on 14 different pitches at one point, the players were cheered on by a multitude of parents, grandparents and spectators, and for the first time in a long time, the day couldn’t even be spoilt by rain as perfect weather summed up a perfect day.

Thorne added: "If only we could bottle up the annual success of this tournament and move it on to building the future of Junior Jewish football.

"Unfortunately, well over 60 percent of today's entrants don’t play in the Maccabi Sunday League, but if they did, the league would move on leaps and bounds. Maybe there is hope for the future, all we can do is to offer Jewish football to those who wish to participate and this "open" competition is there exactly for that reason."

PHOTOGALLERY

MILLET SPORT