Sunday 25th
After meeting at the Academy at 6.30am, it was time to load up both mini-buses in preparation for our trip to Aberystwyth and participation in the Welsh International Super Cup. Bags that were packed the brim with top fashion, magazines, sweets, music, hair straighteners........oh and the odd item of football kit, were hauled up onto the roof of the Academy minibus. The squad were then waved off by a selection of parents and WAGs as the boys set off on their journey to greatness.
Once they had arrived, the squad dropped off bags in their rooms at the Aberystwyth University campus and then all headed off for a tour of the facilities which culminated in stuffing their faces at the restaurant, which offered portions that Desperate Dan would have been proud of - don't worry Mr Charlesworth, there was plenty of fruit and veg!
Next on the itinerary was a trip into Aberystwyth town centre for the Opening Ceremony. Big names such as Michael Owen and Ian Rush were mentioned. All who attended were set to see two legends of the game who after the tension built, never turned up! Despite this the evening still allowed students to get a taste of what was to come as flags from all four corners of the world were draped around the venue.
After a steep hill walk back up to the campus, the boys went to blow off some steam with a game of 5-a-side in preparation for their first game the next morning.
Morris' quote of the day - "Could you tell me the way to Aberystwyth?"
Monday 26th
The squad were woken up at the seemingly anti-social hour of 7am as staff were met by blurry eyes and gormless expressions at every door they knocked on. After a light breakfast everyone returned to their rooms and began preparations for Match 1 against Borras Albion. One by one the players entered the corridor in their standard-issue Hummel training/pre-match attire. It was a scene that could well have been taken straight out of Milan Fashion Week as the team strutted around in what could only be described as the cutting edge of sporting fashion. The smiling faces of lads on tour were soon replaced with that of confident young men who had come to Wales to do a job as they looked at each other in their matching outfits. As they walked down to the coaches a silence descended and each player, over an hour before kick-off, began to mentally prepare for their date with destiny.
After team-talks and warm-ups, the players lined up to face their first opposition. In the first 20 minutes they competed well, but several unlucky own-goals and a third on the stroke of half time meant that heads went down and the team eventually ended up on the wrong side of a 7-0 defeat.
Despite what seemed on paper like a thrashing, the squad were in high spirits and seemingly even more determined to get a result the next day. These boys were not going to let their heads drop, so during the afternoon the majority of the squad headed down to watch Bargod play in order to get some ideas for how to approach the game with them on Wednesday morning.
The day ended with another trip to the astro-turf pitches where they worked on the defending and attacking of corners.
Morris' quote of the day - "Get your heads on!"
Tuesday 27th
After the events of the day before, staff could have been forgiven for the expectation that getting the squad up on Tuesday morning was going to be a challenge. Yet they were proved wrong as everyone was down for breakfast and analysing the areas for improvement in preparation for Game 2 against Padarn United.
The first 20 minutes was a whirl-wind of crisp passing, driving runs and commitment by the bucket-load, yet no goals. Inevitably this was met by the opposition scoring the first goal and going into half term 1-0 down. The final score was a 3-2 defeat and although it was a bitter pill to swallow, coaches from other teams commented on the attractive football our boys were producing and that if they continued with it, success would eventually come.
As a result of our friendly game in the afternoon being cancelled, the players were given the option of going for a training session or a walk around Aberystwyth town centre and take in the impressive coastal views.
After tea the squad went down to their regular retreat and had a playful kick around the 5-a-side pitch.
Morris' quote of the day - "Tuck in, keep your shape and hold the line".
Wednesday 28th
Two games in one day. The pressure was on and the lads were in the zone as they knew that due to other results, if they won both of their final group matches, they could still finish second in their group. This was just the motivation they needed to respond positively to their two previous defeats.
Despite controlling the play against Bargod for large parts of the match, the result moved away from them when one of our players was pushed at the crucial moment as he went to head the ball away and subsequently put it into his own net! Result 1-0 defeat.
After a light lunch and a short rest the squad were back on the bus in preparation for their second match of the day against Trewern. By this time both students and staff were starting to feel the pace of what had been both a physically and mentally gruelling tour, yet the banter and jokes continued to flow. This clear team spirit was taken into the next game and the boys entered the game with surprisingly high self-belief. As the game developed, a mixture of poor refereeing decisions, lack of concentration and bad luck resulted in a 3-0 defeat and the end of the group stage.
Morris' team-talks had been inspirational all week and now was his real test. How could he repair the minds of a squad who had been on the wrong side of all their matches? He managed it though and by the end everyone knew that they still had the chance to win some silverware - Come on lads!
In the evening the entire squad headed off to experience the sights and sounds of Aberystwyth which involved snooker, pool and the odd arcade game.
Morris' quote of the day - "We've still got something to play for - PRIDE".
Thursday 29th
Today was the squad's chance to silence the critics and lay the ghosts to rest. With the match at 1.30pm, everyone took advantage of some extra sleep and the opportunity to re-charge their batteries. The team that they would be playing were the Aber Allstars, who had been demoted to last place in their group as a result of fielding several over-age players. This posed a potentially more difficult match, yet the boys were up for the challenge and ready to show anyone and everyone that they meant business.
From the very first minute, the players controlled the tempo of the game and created opportunities from every area of the pitch. Aber were never really in the match and Immingham went ahead mid-way through the first half. After that goal it looked like we would push on and get a few more to set the team up for a comfortable victory going into the second leg. Unfortunately the second goal never materialised and the crushing sound of the ball hitting your own net was heard in the 94th minute with their first shot on target!
The evening was once again filled with a trip to Aberystwyth pier and the delights of the snooker/pool hall.
Morris' quote of the day - "The most one-sided draw I have ever seen"
Friday 30th
It was the final day of this epic journey and every member of the touring team wanted to go out with a sporting bang. The second leg match against Aber Allstars would be a tense affair after the injustice of Thursday's last gasp equaliser and the memories were still fresh in all the team's minds.
The infamous welsh rain began to rear its head prior to the match, which meant that conditions would offer a new challenge to the boys. A constant down-pour throughout the entire 90 minutes meant that conditions were tough, but there was a job to be done and a trophy at stake.
Two blinding efforts from distance put the team in a commanding position, and despite Aber scoring with 15 minutes to go, Immingham held on for a well-deserved win which resulted in them winning the Group D Bowl Cup. The celebrations continued for hours and everyone wanted a photo with the Cup and their victorious team mates. Talk even started about plans for next year's competition.
The journey home was both a tired and late one, yet everyone agreed that it was an experience that they would never forget.
Morris' quote of the day - "You have done the town of Immingham proud".
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