A long time ago and in preparation for this day I had all good intention to prepare a template describing the hollow feeling that this inevitable day brings, but I never got around to it.

So 24hrs later, giving everyone a chance to calm down and to let the emotions drain away, I am now trying to put pen to paper or in this case finger to key board.

For the last 8 months I have been lucky enough to be studying at Brighton University for a Certificate in the Institute of Management. One thing that is drummed into you early on is to reflect on your learning experience. They encourage you to write down what you have learnt and make a note of what you would do differently next time round. You chart out your own personnel development. We believe this was a learning experience for everyone who watched and became a part of the boy’s feelings. We believe the boy’s learnt from their experience, the highs and the lows and are better young people from that.

So here goes, played 5, lost one, and won four, becoming the group champions. Played Cuckfield, who were runners up from their group and won on a nail biting penalties 4 - 2. Met Copthorne in the final and lost 2 – 0 having beaten them at home only last month 4 – 0.

But let’s take a moment and put this all into perspective. UBFC under 9’s were invited by the Horsham district to represent them in this Sussex FA Mini soccer festival. That’s one district out of six others. In our group we played other top teams from around the whole of East and West Sussex Counties. To reach the semi final as group champions was a feat in itself especially having been beaten 5 – 0 in our first group game against Oakwood and then going on to win our remaining matches without conceding one goal.

Our game against Cuckfield in the semi-finals was nail biting enough without the cruel penalty shoot out at the end of the game. So we must be proud of what the boys did. We reached the final of the Under 9’s Sussex County Football Association Mini Soccer Festival.

Thank you Sussex FA for a very enjoyable day, and as Arnold Schwarzeneggar once said, ‘we’ll be back’

Finally a plea from the management team to parents and guardians, please ensure the children turn up correctly dressed on match days especially with their shin protection and boot studs in place and tighten. We would hate any of our little stars of the future getting hurt.