An Girls under-14s football team have become champions of an all-boys grassroots league, making national headlines this week.
Concord Rangers Girls U14 have emerged as winners of their division in a boys’ grassroots league, producing such scorelines as two 13-0s and a 14-2 in their 10 league wins, and 31 points from 11 games for what is just their second season competing against male teams in the Southend Junior League.
The Canvey Island based team finished top in division D of the under-13s league, facing off against younger boys’ teams, and the under 13s girls team won the same title against the same age group last season.
A 1-0 victory over FC Redwing on Sunday means they end the season unbeaten.
The team was put into boys’ football by Sofien Davis, 44, who has mentored the girls and prove they have a place in the traditionally male world of football.
Sofien said, per Echo News: “With managing a girls’ team who were, for the first time, crossing over into boys’ league, I was a bit apprehensive.
“At first, I didn’t know much about the girls’ league and originally I did it to introduce my daughter, Kyla, into girl’s football after playing all boys.
“After a few weeks of coaching the girls, I realised I had something special on my hands with massive potential.
“I look forward to coaching the girls and watching them play with pride and joy week in, week out and I cannot wait for the day that we represent Concord Rangers as their first-ever women’s team.”
Sofien Davis said via The Sun: “From the day I took over, I could see the potential.
“They picked things up easily. I was impressed how coachable they were.
“It was scary entering a boys league but was best for their development. I wanted to make the world realise girls can compete with boys.”
Tony Bailey, 35, whose stepdaughter Lola, 14, is top goal scorer on the team with 35 goals, said: “I am so happy for them; it is such an incredible thing.
“They have had to struggle through thick and thin and what happened was, we started with big wins and were winning heavily when all the boys suddenly had growth spurts.
“The girls had to dig deeper over time and Sofien believes in them.
“The girls have been inspired and they want to inspire others too. Girls are playing football younger and younger and Sofien is a great mentor.
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After the match, team captain Jasmine said, per BBC News: “It went well, we won 1-0.”
Her mum Nikki said: “They used to play girls and then they moved over to a boys’ league and they’ve played boys their own age and boys a year younger.
“It is good to see the determination in the girls altogether; I think that is the big thing – they have developed more as a team together being in a boys’ league.
“There weren’t that many girls’ teams, when we were in the girls’ league, that were competitive…. so the manager decided, to develop them and to make sure everything was a bit more competitive, we would switch to the boys’ [league].”
She said Concord Rangers Girls had been invited to the Aces Nationals tournament in Nottingham this June, where they will take on teams from across the country.
They team are also to join the Essex Girls League next season.
Tony adds that he and Lola’s mum Jade Yates have been left immensely proud of all the players. He added: “When I was a youngster playing, you would have been livid losing against a team of girls.
“But now there’s no hard feelings from the boys — they can see that it’s normal.”
It was in 2023 that the Concord Rangers U13s girls team also won the boys league.
This is how social media users reacted as the girls under-14s football team become champions of all-boys grassroots league…
Lou Kemp Sorrentino: my girl and team proud of you all 💪🥅⚽️xxx
Martine Newman-Farmer: Well done girls 💪 incredible for you all xxx
Mel Collyer: Well done girls 👏💪 x
Jade Jones: absolutely smashing it girls!!! 🥅⚽️
Mobolagi Smith: Fantastic achievement. Very well done Girls! Now come on play for England 🏴!!!
Chris Stratton: Top notch well done team!
Ben Bradford: Superb achievement 👏 well done all involved 🔥🏆
Hollie Newman: Yes go girls just read if amazing 👏 ❤️
Mark Masters: Love this, well done girls keep it up
Louisa Colvill: G’wan girls!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🤩
Katy Takatsuki: Brilliant! Congratulations
Deborah Hemmings: Smashing girls
Matthew Cole: An amazing achievement. You should be very proud 👏
Thomas Skelton: Absolutely brilliant well done 👍
Faith Domingo: Well done Girls 😍
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