In November 2015, the FA began advertising their competition for all amateur footballers, which had been a great success in their first year, in 2014.  Amy Fazackerley entered 3 teams from the COGs, 2 teams into the Ladies’ Veterans’ Category and a younger team in the Ladies section.

The first round of the FA Peoples’ Cup, for us, was in Portsmouth and we’re not quite sure that Portsmouth were ready for the COGs’ invasion but it was certainly a weekend to remember! Unfortunately, football being played by “older ladies” was few and far between in 2015 and from the whole country there were only 6 Ladies’ Vets’ teams who had entered the Competition (2 of those were COGs!).  This, astonishingly, meant that there were only 4 other teams in the whole country and at least half of them were teams who were ex-players who had got together for the Peoples’ Cup.   Therefore, there weren’t any other Ladies’ Vets’ teams to play, so all 6 teams who entered went straight through to the Final, in Sheffield.  Who were we to argue with that?!   So, instead of playing football in Portsmouth, the older COGs still went for the weekend to support the younger COGs (mainly by drinking with them!) and a great weekend was had by all.  The younger COGs were knocked out but repaid the compliment and arranged to travel to Sheffield, in March, to support the older COGs.

Arriving in Sheffield, it was agreed with most of the ladies that maybe the drinking should not be quite as heavy as Portsmouth and a few managed to get to bed a bit earlier before the Finals on the Sunday.

Sheffield Goals played host to all the Finals of the Peoples’ Cup and there were certainly some great skills on show, especially from the Portsmouth Amputee team, in the Disability category.

Both COGs’ teams started by playing against each other and were joined in the League by Hackney Jurassics (Eventual Winners), N16, The Wolfies and the FURD (Football Unites, Racism Divides) team.  It was the first time that any of the COGs had played in a competitive game and playing 6 a-side, off the boards, was a real eye opener!   We didn’t win but it was an experience that we will never forget!

Old Women Rock!  The link below is from the BBC at the end of the Finals.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03nf2j4