The board is currently drafting an end of season statement to embrace and celebrate all that we have achieved together in what has been, simultaneously, a very challenging season and our yet most successful on record for many reasons – both in terms of our elite achievements and our inclusivity.

But this morning we need to take a moment to reflect upon our Academy’s momentous double achievement yesterday.

In short, both our Boys and Girls Academy representative teams won two England FA College Cup Finals. Teams from Land’s End to Hadrian’s Wall and from the East Coast to the Welsh border entered this at the start of this season, and one club, our club, took the spoils.

For the Girls, there was the additional accolade of retaining the National Football Youth League Cup for the second year. Faced with having to travel to Northampton to play Northampton at their own ground, this served to make the victory all the sweeter. Despite going behind at first, these players were never going to be beaten.

The Boys played later on a neutral ground, being historic Accrington Stanley’s stadium, comfortably winning the England College FA Knockout Trophy 3-0 despite the long commute for a 7.00 kick off. We are grateful to Academy graduate and Cambridge United Player of the Year, Liam Bennett, who travelled to the match to support his old team.

It is my dream to recruit the majority of both our first teams into our U7s, our U13 EJA and JPL sections, and into our Academy age 16 and for them to develop as quickly and fully as possible. This is already happening to some degree and every year we are firming the foundations for this scenario to become our default. The board has recently agreed to invest in this, and in coming years that situation will become a reality. However, it cannot be rushed. It requires long-term thinking, patience and prudence leading to generational change.

My heart-felt congratulations to all our talented, vibrant students who work so hard here at the AFC Sudbury Academy Centre of Excellence every day, and to the exceptional, hardworking teaching, coaching and support staff who make magical, life affirming days like yesterday happen. Thanks also to our colleagues at SCL who provide consistent support for our Academy’s teaching, learning and enrichment program.

The future is bright. Bright yellow.