Under-10s cup winners London Football School celebrate with Emma Hayes

CHELSEA boss Emma Hayes returned to her roots on Saturday as she joined in an emotional day of cheers and tears in the Regent’s Park Youth League.

Organisers behind the competition paid tribute to “one of their own” as they came together to remember Emma’s dad Sid, who played a crucial role in supporting the league and motivating generations of footballers to play the beautiful game.

Hayes presents the medals to Camden Girls, who were Under-10s runners-up

The young players delivered just what the celebration called for when they took to the pitches in a series of thrilling cup finals.

Among the highlights was the girls’ Under-10s final where London Football School went head to head against Camden Girls for the newly named Sid Hayes Trophy. Frieda Gramer-Thornton, Ella Sibson, Eliza Wright and Haneen Meslem were all on target as London Football School ran out
4-0 winners.

Rugby Portobello Trust FC Under-14s, who beat Kentish Town in the final

“The Under-10s girls’ cup has been renamed in Sid’s honour, and he would have loved watching and cheering on what was a great final,” said league organiser Will Cave. “It was a wonderful day of community football, which was the most fitting tribute of all to a man who inspired so many young people to play the game.”

Rugby Portobello Trust FC beat TGFC (below) in the Under-8s cup final

The medal mania also saw Kentish Town FC snap up yet more silverware when the club’s Under-10s side beat Belsize Rockets. Gabe Dilley opened the scoring for Town, but the Rockets battled back to level the scores. With the game heading for penalties, Oscar Heeley showed great composure to restore Town’s lead, before Arthur Souster-Murphy slotted home from the penalty spot to seal a 3-1 win.

Kentish Town FC Under-10s beat Belsize Rockets 3-1 with goals from Gabe Dilley, Oscar Heeley and Arthur Souster-Murphy

Kentish Town were denied a cup double on the day, however, after their Under-14s came out second best against a free-scoring Rugby Portobello Trust FC side.

Esam Omer opened the scoring before Nasim Mokhbi doubled Rugby Portobello Trust’s lead. Georgie Byrne and Elvis Styrvoldt-Chaigneau then took centre stage as they grabbed two goals each in a scintillating 6-0 win.

Miguel Falcao Santiago

The triumph marked a memorable day for supporters of the club, who had already witnessed a clinical display of finishing in the Under-8s final – where hat-trick hero Miguel Falcao Santiago scored a timely treble to lead Rugby Portobello Trust to a pulsating 3-2 victory.

Opponents TGFC certainly played their part in what was a cup classic, with Theo Davies giving them the lead, while Massimo Povoleri set up a grandstand finish when he pulled a goal back for TGFC late on.