Page 65 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

Football
Much has changed over the past 12 months; we went from frosty and wet fixtures in the North West of England to
the 40-degree heat of Cyprus! The team has established itself on the island and quickly enrolled in every competition on offer. The tempo and manning burden of the operational commitments in Cyprus have made team selection challenging, however it has also presented opportunities for new players to jump into the fold. This season has seen the foundation of our development squad ‘The Epi Kings’, which allows younger players to gain valuable game
time prior to being selected to represent the Battalion, the team also promotes integration with Episkopi Station footballers, many of which are Tri-service.
The last year has been very successful and the team has come away with some silverware for its efforts! Of note they have achieved:
• Commander British Forces Cyprus Cup
winners
• Akrotiri 7’s Plate winners
• Akrotiri Cup runners up
• Cyprus League Cup Semi-finalists
• Overall second in the Cyprus major units
league
The team have performed exceptionally well considering the workload placed on the Battalion in Cyprus, which dramatically hinders team selection. Praise needs to be given to the Coaching staff and the Chain of Command who have shown tremendous flexibility by releasing and transporting players in order to support the Battalion’s team.
The year also saw us bid farewell to our long-standing Team Captain Sgt Anthony Rickwood, whose boots have now been filled by Cpl Lee Bray. CSgt ‘Shirty’ Shirton has worked tirelessly with the team since arriving in the Battalion and has had his efforts rewarded by being appointed as the assistant Manager of the British Army in Cyprus team, he has also been joined by 8 members of the Battalions’ senior squad,
and we are seeking to add to this total during the remainder of our time on Island. Cpl ‘Caddy’ Cadmore once again bagged the Golden Boot, his trademark “Dink” over multiple goalkeepers marking him out consistently as the top scorer.
Looking forward to 2020 we have a busy time ahead; we are aiming to improve on the results of last year by being competitive in all competitions that Cyprus has to
offer. We will arrive back in the UK just in time for the new season and are relishing the chance to test ourselves against the talented major units in our area. We also intend to conduct a football tour, which will see us work our way through a series of competitive fixtures across the Regiment’s recruiting areas, culminating in a charity match in favour of the Mercian Benevolent Fund. This tour will also act as a recruiting drive, illustrating to the people of Mercia that football is alive and well in their local County Regiment!
Football Officer: Coaching Staff: Captain:
Capt Liam Kennedy
WO1 Steven Catherwood, CSgt Leighton Shirton Sgt Anthony Rickwood, Cpl Lee Bray
Rugby
This year has been very hard to conduct training and play league games as the Battalion have been working extremely hard on the Op Sites and other commitments. But as always, the team showed grit and we all made it happen.
Ove the last 18 months the rugby team have been involved in many games and tournaments. The team have also played Limassol 15 where we won in good style, posting a 49-7 win, which started the focus and the mindset of the team. The main tournament this year was the Aki 10’s. The team had a good run at the competition with us losing in the semi-final of the 4th tier. We have also played in the Limassol 10’s where we did very well on finishing 3rd in the tournament. Mid-point
this year saw 8 players from the Battalion represent the Army Cyprus rugby team in a game against the RAF Cyprus team. That didn’t end well.
On June 29th, The Mercian Regiment came together to win the Sephton trophy for the first time in 10 years, this was a remarkable achievement and it was great to see all the talent that the regiment has
to offer.
Pte Mountford needs a special mention
as he went on selection for the Army under 23 side and got a place in the squad. Upon finishing his time with the Army rugby side Pte Mountford has been offered a scholarship in the United States starting next summer, the team whish’s him all the best.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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