800 players in Norfolk Christian football kick off
 Almost 800 players will be kicking off a new season in the Norfolk Christian Football League from Saturday September 4 starting with a series of matches at Heartsease Towers in Norwich.
An impressive 60 different teams (13 adult and 47 youth) will take part in the various leagues this season watched by an average of around 1400 spectators every week.
Tim Stapleford, vice chairman of the league, said: “A significant change is the location of the U10 League, which is moving venue from Recreation Rd to Bignold School on Saturday mornings. Norfolk Christian football matches have never been played this close to the city centre before and it offers all kinds of new opportunities for outreach, with particular focus on building on the work done locally in partnership with the Football in the Community) coaches on the Jenny Lind 'multi-use games area' over the last year.
“We hope that Christian youth football will become an added attraction for any Saturday morning shoppers who generally head for the Chapelfield area of the city for their shopping.”
Saturday’s football tournaments at Heartsease Towers include: U18 5-a-side Competition from 10am; Open-Invitation Managers/Veterans v U18s Friendly Game, 9.45 - 10.15am; 'John Sewell Community Shield' Adult 11-a-side Game, KO 10.30am - Heartsease Churches v NCBC adult teams; U12 7-a-side Friendly Match, K.O. 10.40am - Holy Trinity v Heigham Park Rangers (St Thomas').
There will also be an opportunity for teams to pick up some free sets of second-hand team shirts and to offer the same to other teams.
Tim said: “We would like this first Saturday of the season to continue and further accentuate the emphasis on fellowship and friendship between teams and managers, not just within them - which our League stands for by its biblical principles and Christ-centredness.” www.nccayl.org.uk | 