Team Blog

Under 8 Awards Posted on 01/07/2017

The Under 8s team Statistics for the 2016/17 season, excluding tournament events (of Butlins, Awesome Foursome and WFL 5-aside tournament):

• Played 33 matches
• Winning 26
• Drawing 3
• Losing 4
• Scored 238 goals!
• Conceded 86 goals.

Within the squad, Karrell has been signed by Tottenham Hotspur FC, where next season he will play for their u9 academy.

At the Awesome Foursome we supplied 2 teams. One team made it to the semi-finals. The second team went to win the event following a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

At the ESF Butlins 5 aside tournament in May, our Under-8s team were our most successful London Colney Colts team, losing only once to the eventual winners.

Clubman

This award goes to a defensive player who scored a respectable 9 goals during the season. However, it's not about his outfield play which wins him this award, it's what happens when the goalkeeper is unavailable or injured. This is the person who steps in, “dons" the shirt and wears the gloves. Our Under 9s manager, Paul O'Dwyer, has called him “fearless" in goal. But it was in this years Awesome Foursome that he excelled in this stand-in goalkeeping role, making no-less than 4 penalty shoot-out saves, the last of which was the tournament winning save.

The winner is - Tommy 

Most Improved Player

This is our "clever player - he always listens - he gets the job done". This season he has been our "rock at the back”, steadily developing, becoming more confident and composed in his game. The player we see today is one who doesn't simply doesn't clear the ball. Instead he will look up, outmanoeuvre an oncoming attacker, advance carrying the ball, before finding an essential pass to a fellow player. In recent weeks his improvement has been observed by so many on the touch line. In one of our final league matches of the season, this player surged forward scoring his maiden hat-trick within a crazy 7 minute period. No other player deserves this more....

The winner is - Tomasz 

Manager’s Player of the Season

This award goes to a player who has a bit of everything... speed, dribbling, passing, the right type of aggression and he can score goals. In fact this season, if we had a goal of the season, he would have several contenders to choose from. He's played in every position and he never moans - he just gets on with it. "When he is in full flow, I can overlook those cheeky back flicks he does in our own penalty box" - Ian G .

A player with bags of energy, who will never stop running, he shows the right attitude week in, week out - a really skilful player who is determined to win.

The winner is - Ciaran

Golden Boot

When the season started, this player scored goals for fun. He was "free-scoring" as one observer put it. But as the season progressed and the team steadily faced stronger and better opposition, this player found he had to adjust his game - he had to press the opposition a lot more intensely - forcing errors; he had to find the right space to receive a goal scoring pass; he had to learn where to anticipate where the ball would land. Withstanding a late goal scoring charge from the impressive Alex Ademiluyi (who scored 46 goals!), this player bagged a hugely impressive 51 goals.

The winner is - Danny 

Player’s Player of the Season

This will be a popular winner throughout the whole of London Colney Colts family. He is "one of our own" having joined our (then) under 7s in 2015/16 season. He's still only 7 - the youngest member of the under 8s squad. This player has enormous potential. His commitments to another well known football team mean he has only been able to play around 60% of the matches this season, but it is a reflection on his ability and contribution to the matches he's played in, that his fellow team members voted for him in this award. Off the pitch he is the nicest boy you ever met. On the pitch he is a terrier, chasing down the ball, dribbling, passing, tackling, shooting and scoring. Excellent in all areas of his game - qualities that have been recognised by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, where next season he will be playing for their under 9s Academy.

The winner is - Karrell.