Prestigious FA award for Berwick Wildcats’ project

Berwick Wildcats receiving their FA Grassroots Project of the Year award.

Despite being in operation for only 18 months, the Wildcats were announced as winners of the Northumberland FA Grassroots Football Project of the Year at a prestigious ceremony at Newcastle’s Crown Plaza Hotel last Friday evening.

Commenting on the award, the judges said that the Berwick Rangers Wildcats had transformed girls’ football in Berwick.

Andy Thorpe, head coach of the Berwick Rangers Wildcats said: “This award is recognition the hard work and dedication of all our coaches and players. The Wildcat girls have not only trained hard, but have had a really brilliant time at our sessions. It’s also fantastic to see that some of our older girls have taken on additional responsibilities at the sessions, helping develop the other players as well as themselves.

“We’re all incredibly proud of winning this award and look forward to further developing girls’ football in Berwick.”

The Berwick Wildcats are run in partnership with Berwick Rangers Community Foundation and Berwick Rangers Juniors and take place on the new 4G pitch at Berwick Sports and Leisure Centre.

Berwick Rangers kicked off their Lowland League campaign on Saturday when they were on the receiving end of a 6-0 away defeat against newcomers Hearts B at Whitehill Welfare.

There wasn’t much between the sides in the first half and the teams turned around with the Edinburgh outfit 1-0 to the good.

The turning point came early in the second half when Berwick captain Jamie Pyper was sent off and the floodgates opened.

It was not the start to the season Rangers had been looking for, xxxxx (v Celtic B at home on Tuesday).

This year’s final of the Berwick Charities Cup will be played on The Stanks on Saturday (July 30), with Prior Wolfs taking on Alnmouth in the centenary showpiece.

In the first semi-final, the Wolfs beat North Sunderland U23s 5-1, the Seahouses side having been reinstated into the competition after their quarter-final victors, a Berwick Rangers XI, officially withdrew. Alnmouth beat The Evergreens from Chirnside in the second semi.