Fitting climax for Bradford Council's Get Into Football programme (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Fitting climax for Bradford Council's Get Into Football programme

5:00pm Monday 4th February 2013 in Sport By Sports Desk

Carlton Bolling will play Bingley Grammar on Wednesday in the under-19 final of Bradford Council's Get Into Football programme at Beckfoot Grammar School (4pm).

The two schools brushed aside tough competition from two groups of four teams.

As part of the Get Into Football programme, each fixture has been played on artificial pitches on  Wednesday afternoons, with teams playing a fixture a with all matches being staffed by a qualified referee.

The national programme aims to create opportunities for people aged 16 and above to participate in football at grass-roots level.

In addition, it provides alternative playing formats to weekend football.

Bradford Council worked closely with the schools to set up the under-19 league but gave them flexibility and ownership of the fixtures to help fit things around their schedules.

Coun Andrew Thornton, Bradford Council's executive member responsible for sport and leisure, said: "This has been an excellent competition from the beginning and it should be a really positive finish.

"The teams involved are of a good standard and are highly competitive, so the leagues have been tight all the way through.”

Sean Regan, from Get Into Football said: "We want the competition to have a big impact on local football, especially with the local club having the success that it has had in recent months, by building on what Bradford Council, the Bradford Secondary Schools' Sports Association and the County FA have done this year and working in partnership again.

Professional referee Bobby Madley, from Wakefield, said: "Every cup final involves two teams who have fought hard throughout a competition and battled their way to being one game from lifting the trophy, and to be a part of that occasion is what refereeing is all about.

"I'm looking forward to what will hopefully be an excellent game between two worthy teams and wish them both the very best of luck on the day!”

To find out more about the Bradford Get Into Football scheme, please contact Sean Regan on 01274-522750 or sean.regan@bradford.gov.uk.