Up-and-coming footballer Junior Wilson certainly found the perfect way to say his farewells to a team who have been a big part of his life for the past six years.

The impressive central defender had already helped Tuffley Rovers Youth Under-14s Clarets win their Severn Valley Youth League age group title, and he signed off earlier this week by helping the team to win the League Cup with a 6-2 victory over Longlevens Youth.

“He’s got a two-year contract at Aston Villa’s academy which means he won’t be able to play grassroots football,” said Tuffley under-14 manager Dave Cornock. “We’re all delighted for him. He’s a ball player and he deserves everything that comes his way, he’s been brilliant for us.”

Wilson was also the team’s captain – he’s likely to be replaced as skipper by centre-forward Reece Billingham next season – but while he will obviously be missed, Cornock is keen to look forward.

“Junior will always be welcome at Tuffley, he’s been a big part of the team,” Cornock said, “but his departure is an opportunity for someone else to step up.”

Longlevens Youth, meanwhile, had to settle for the runners-up spot again after finishing second behind Tuffley in the league.

They were undone by a Reece Billingham hat-trick in the cup final at Gloucester City, a match which also saw goals from Dequan Hylton and Marshay Cameron, who scored the first direct from a corner. The other goal was an own goal.

“It was fantastic,” continued Cornock, whose son Jaidon has played alongside Junior Wilson for the past six seasons. “We were unbeaten in the league, they are a brilliant group to coach. Reece scored just under 50 goals in the season and Dequan got nearly 30 but they’ve all been fantastic.”

Cornock will be hoping for more of the same next season, of course, but that is not his only motivation for carrying on with a team who he has managed for half-a-dozen years.

“Yes, we will go again,” he said. “Obviously we’d like to win another league and cup double but we’re more than that, we want to provide a safe environment in which our young players can thrive.”

And they’re thriving off the pitch as well as on it because the squad will be taking part in a sponsored run/walk in August to raise funds for the club. The run/walk will be the equivalent of travelling from Tuffley to Wembley – about 100 miles – and each and every player in the 18-man squad is set to walk some 125 lengths of their pitch at The Lannet.

It will take place on Saturday 6^th August and the good news is that there should be no fitness concerns because the players will be back for pre-season training by then!

Other result:
Severn Valley Youth League Under-17 Cup final (at Gloucester City): Minchinhampton Rangers 0 Ashley Down School 1.

Fixtures
Friday 17^th June
Severn Valley Youth League Under-13 Cup final (at Gloucester City, 7.30pm): Longlevens v Broadwell.

Saturday 18^th June
Under-16 Cup final (at Gloucester City, 10.30am): Hardwicke Rangers v Churchdown Panthers.