Teams including Manchester United and Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton and Newcastle and Sunderland took part in the u12 tournament with the winners going on to a National tournament for the right to travel to Ypres in Belgium to take part in the Premier League International Tournament against Academy sides from France, Belgium, Germany, Scotland and Austria.

An impeccably observed Remembrance Ceremony took place before the tournament kicked off, with each club laying a wreath as a mark of respect. The action kicked off at 11:15 with rivalry games such as the Merseyside derby and the Manchester derby taking place early.

The competition was disciplined but keenly contested; some fantastic football was on show throughout the day, as well as a high level of performance from all officials who took part. The eventual winners were Everton.

The referees performed to a high standard all day, the more ‘senior’ officials guiding those less experienced through their fixtures and offering useful coaching tips and words of advice.

Jamie James, Referee Development Officer “It was a fantastic opportunity to get together some of the more ‘senior’ officials in the county and have some of our newly qualified referees learning from them and looking to them as role models. It was an invaluable experience for all and one that I am hoping will be repeated in the future, allowing more officials to sample these events.”