Navy football coaches get top tips
13 Mar 08
Royal Navy football coaches have been getting the inside track on what it takes to be the best by spending timewith England Under 21 manager, Stuart Pearce.
England U21 football manager, Stuart Pearce (left), passes on his expertise to Royal Navy coaches at HMS Temeraire
[Picture: LA (Phot) Ian Simson]
Pearce and his assistant Steve Wigley visited HMS Temeraire - the headquarters of Navy sport - to spend some time coaching members of the Royal Navy Football Association (RNFA) Coaches Association.
Those benefiting from the two-hour training session were the RN's Under 19 side, which jetted off to the United States on Wednesday, 12 March 2008, to compete in the Dallas International Cup, which runs until 25 March 2008.
Pearce said he was impressed with the attitude of the Navy's youngsters:
"They worked hard for each other and put in a lot of effort. I wish them well for their exciting tournament in the United States."
Steve Johnson, football development officer at the RNFA, said:
"Our coaches were delighted at getting such expert tuition as part of their professional development, and it will give a huge boost to our under 19 team before they head for Dallas where they will be up against 15 other teams from across the world."
England U21 football manager Stuart Pearce visiting the RN Football Association at HMS Temeraire
[Picture: LA (Phot) Brett Turner]
After the training session Pearce and Wigley unwound with a trip aboard Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, at the nearby Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Organised football in the Royal Navy began on 13 January 1904 when a group of Royal Navy officers met and agreed that an Association should be formed for the "Guidance and Government of Naval Football".
On 9 February that same year, a General Council was formed which invited the King, The Prince of Wales and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to become patrons of the Association.
The RNFA became an affiliated member of the Football Association (FA) with a representative serving on its General Council in 1907, and today enjoys full status as a County Member, as well as being represented on the FA Council.
In 1905 the first Inter Port competition was introduced (with Portsmouth beating Devonport 4-0 at Fratton Park) becoming an annual event until 1946, with the exception of the War Years.
Renamed the Inter Command Competition in 1947, it still exists today and is keenly contested by the best players from Scotland, Devonport, Portsmouth, the Fleet Air Arm, the Royal Marines and the operational Fleet.