England Programme update

This year will see hopefully some really exciting challenges for the group. We will be getting together a group of 40 players at the beginning of January for a training camp. The fixtures will include:

Fixture v French Universities (April)
Fixture v Guernsey FA (Away)
BUGS (England, N.Ireland, Scotland and Wales) - Scotland
Fixtures v League clubs (Leicester City, Chelsea, Notts County & Sunderland)

At the moment we are have made headway to play in Estonia in the week 2nd - 9th May to play against their U21s and Levadia (one of their stronger clubs). This will be a great opportunity for the players in the system.

The above will all be planned and finalised by January.

Regional Trials and Tournament 2009

The official forms are now out to promote this years regional trials which are taking place at Hertfordshire, Warwick and York, on the 22nd November. We are very grateful to all of those institutions who have helped support the first part of the process. The Regional tournament is booked in for the 21st and 22nd December - where the Midlands are defending champions!

Can I remind you all to make sure that players go through the process of filling the forms out - this year it should be made really straight forward as it is now to be completed online:

BUCS Website Link:

http://www.bucs.org.uk/page.asp?section=3652&sectionTitle=Representative%20Football
Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/bucsfootball

National Futsal Finals.

We wish UWE Hartpury and Loughborough the best as they are the first two student teams to play in the National Futsal Finals. The finals take place this weekend in Swindon on 24th and 25th October.

England Unis on the airwaves

England Universities Head Coach James Ellis spoke to Absolute Radio's Ed Draper over the summer as part of the recent PR drive for representative football. Click on the link below to listen.

http://www.5or6.co.uk/james%20ellis.mp3

Watch this space for more news from the England Universities as the 2009/10 season shapes up.

FA Cup match-up

England Universities stars have been drawn together in the FA Cup 4th round qualifying. Tamworth with former Loughborough star Bradley Pritchard and Notts Trent stiker Alex Rodman. Alex will come up against Notts Trent President Charlie O'Loughlin and Loughborough defender Kieran Murphy. Bradley will face his centre-mid partner at the British Universities Finals last year Liam Green, who has recently recovered from injury and looks to return at Tamworth.

England Unis stars reunited

England Universities stars were reunited at the weekend as Ilkeston Town hosted Gloucester City. Ilkeston's Charlie O'Loughlin (Notts Trent)and Kieran Murphy (Loughborough) faced Gloucester's Marc Richards (UWE Hartpury) and Will Morford (UWE Hartpury) in the Blue Square Conference North game. Both sets of players were denied bragging rights as the game ended 0-0. Mike Symons (UWE Hartpury) and Liam Green (Loughborough) both missed out on the game through injury.

Pictured: Will Morford next to Charlie O'Loughlin & Kieran Murphy