New Season New Hope!

The 2019-20 season gets underway next Tuesday, 24th September, with twenty-nine teams across two divisions, battling it out to try and topple Abbey as ESPSFA kings come June next year. Abbey though, will be among the favourites for both the La Liga divisional, and ESPSFA titles, the question is, who is going to threaten the three-in-a-row champions?

In La Liga, Short Heath, last season's Year 5 tournament winners, will certainly have their say as will Timberley who impressed at Star City in the same event. Hillstone, who went unbeaten as they procured the La Liga title last term, will also be a major threat to Abbey's domination and will be there or thereabouts come the spring. St Bernadette's, SSPP and Blakenhale, together with Firs and St Margaret Mary (who have both transferred from the Premier) are teams that can match most sides on their day and will be vying for the three play-off berths. In a really strong division, Yardley will also flex their muscles with the best and the Youths impressed last week as they defeated Rosary 4-2 in a pre-season friendly. Corpus Christi are the third side to have switched from the Premier division and are yet another heavyweight outfit in what will be, an ultra-competitive division. Blakenhale, Colebourne and Ward End won't be pushovers either, all three are plucky opponents and capable of springing more than the odd surprise. League newcomers, Featherstone, are an unknown entity but will need to be respected. Which leaves Waverley - winless last time out with only a couple of draws to lift the gloom, the Wavers will look to at least net a couple of wins as they seek an improvement.

In the Premier, Lea Forest are among the favourites to land the divisional crown as they have some fine talent available to them. Last season's champs, Mapledene, remained unbeaten until a semi-final play-off defeat to Abbey, and they will be looking for similar results this time round. The Oval will look to be among the front-runners and were only beaten on penalties by Short Heath in the Year 5 tournament back in July. An erratic Harper Bell who can be magnificent one week then plain ordinary the next, cannot be underestimated and neither can Highfield, who ended last season in brilliant form with a few Year 5s on board. Rosary have switched from La Liga and will look to build on a decent Year 5 tournament showing but a top three finish may be beyond them. Brownmead will be a dark horse along with Audley, two long-established clubs in the ESPSFA and with new coaches at their respective helms. Heathlands and Thornton both played some lovely football last season and there is no reason why that won’t continue this time, they are also tough and resilient both may well press for play-off spots. Parkfield, Paget and Maryvale will all look to improve on last season’s mid-table finishes whilst Erdington Hall, another side with a new coach, will seek similar themselves and try to register a couple of victories that eluded them in 2018-19.

So, there it is, the scene is set, all that remains is to wish every team every success and for every child who has the honour of representing their school, to do so with passion, commitment, honesty and, moreover, a smile on their face.