A SUPER talented youth football team from Inverclyde went to their first-ever European tournament and came home as champions.
St Andrews Boys Club 2011 Whites went to Amsterdam to take part in the event hosted by an amateur Dutch side DWSH’18.
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Over two days the 15-year-olds won all seven games against Danish and English sides scoring 11 goals along the way and only conceding two.
The players raised thousands of pounds in the lead-up to the tournament to help cover the costs of their trip, as well as securing sponsorship.
St Andrew’s BC White 2011 (Image: contributed)
St Andrew’s BC White 2011 (Image: contributed)
Head coach David McKechnie, whose son Calvin plays for the team, said: “We are so proud of them for the way they played and their attitude.
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“It was the first time we had played in a tournament abroad and they were fantastic.
“It was an amazing achievement. It was also capped off by a tour of the Ajax stadium.”
At the awards ceremony held after the curtains came down on the tournament, top goalscorer Oscar McAusland was voted the players’ player of the tournament, and Cole Stevenson won coach’s player of the tournament.
The triumph at the tournament was also a special win for Eilidh Docherty, the only girl on the team, who is no longer allowed to play in a mixed side and will now play for St Mirren girls.
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David said: “We would like to thank Eilidh. She will be missed.
“Her little brother Connor ended up the team mascot.
“Her parents were also with us as well.”
St Andrew’s BC 2011 Whites (Image: contributed)
The team were joined at the tournament by player Adam Clark’s parents and sister as well David McIlroy, Olly’s dad who helped out.
The winning squad was Mason McNeill, Oscar McAusland, Blaine McDonald, Olly McIlroy, Archie McDowall, Calvin McKechnie, Gabriel Gillan. Arran Duffy, Josh Callaghan, Johnny Allan, Eilidh Docherty, Adam Clark, Marcus McAuslan, Jake Murray, Adam Nelson
Evan McGill, Ryan Penny and Cole Stevenson.
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St Andrew’s BC White 2011 (Image: contributed)
Oscar McAusland, Adam Nelson, Blaine McDonald, Ryan Penny and Olly McIlroy all got on the scoresheet during the competition.
The player of the matches for the games were Oscar McAusland, Cole Stevenson, Jake Murray, Mason McNeill, Calvin McKechnie, Adam Clark and Archie McDowall.
St Andrew’s BC 2011 Whites (Image: contributed)
St Andrew’s BC 2011 Whites (Image: contributed)
St Andrew’s BC 2011 Whites (Image: contributed)
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St Andrew’s BC 2011 Whites (Image: contributed)
St Andrew’s BC 2011 Whites (Image: contributed)
The team would like to thank Tesco for supporting their bag packing fundraiser ahead of the tournament and donating £200.
They are also grateful to the Taj Mahal restaurant in Gourock for the new away kits, as well as Econekt for tracksuits, Argus Refrigeration, who have contributed massively for the past two seasons, and IT Computer Repairs in Gourock.