EX-ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS JPL TROPHY

AFC Stoneham Under-11s are making a big impact in grassroots football this season, building on their success as last year’s Junior Premier League Under-10 champions.

Earlier this year, AFC Stoneham grabbed headlines across the Junior Premier League when they defended their JPL Southern Winter Cup title, winning it for the second year in a row (2023/24 and 2024/25).

With five wins out of five and 18 goals scored, the young team went into the Summer competition full of belief.

Adding to the occasion, the Winter Cup medals were presented by Kelvin Davis, current Eastleigh FC Manager and former Premier League goalkeeper. Davis made over 600 professional appearances for clubs including Luton Town, Wimbledon, Ipswich, Sunderland and Southampton, and even stepped in as caretaker manager for Southampton in 2018.

Stoneham’s journey didn’t stop there. They went on to claim the JPL Southern Summer Premiership Cup for 2024/25, finishing unbeaten once again and scoring an impressive 21 goals.

At the University of Warwick National Finals in May, the team narrowly missed out on the national title, finishing second in their group. But instead of being disappointed, the experience motivated the players to push even harder and finish the season strong.

The Summer Cup medals and trophy were presented by James Beattie, current AFC Totton Director of Football. Beattie played more than 400 professional matches, most in the Premier League with Southampton, Everton, Sheffield United and Stoke City, and represented England five times.

He also shared advice from his coaching career, which has included time as manager at Accrington Stanley and coaching roles at Swansea City, Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic and Birmingham City.

For AFC Stoneham’s young players, it was more than just winning trophies. They experienced success in the Junior Premier League while meeting and learning from former Premier League and England stars.

What a season for this talented grassroots football team. Keep going strong, AFC Stoneham!